Picking Up
by Riley Alicia
Summary: *Sequel to Pieces* She could kick herself for leaving, but she knew that at the time she had been unreasonable and, well, afraid. Afraid that if she made one wrong step, everything would come crashing down.
1. Chapter 1

**This is the sequel to ****Pieces****. Read that first!**

Summary: Casey returns to Ontario with a decision to make, but has that decision already been made for her? Will she fight for what she wants? Is it too late?

**A/N:** I just want to say at the very beginning, that this does not completely mesh with Season 4. Besides the fact that a lot of S4 SUCKS (cough *Truman* cough), this needs to be compatible with Pieces_,_ which I wrote before S4 started. It mentions a couple of things from S4, but it is not compatible with the "Surprise" for sure! Anyway, happy reading!

Picking Up

**Chapter One**

Casey McDonald opened her bedroom door and stepped out into the dorm that she shared with her best friend, Emily Davis. Said best friend was slumped in her desk chair, her head resting on the keyboard, her breathing deep and even. Casey smiled to herself and shook Emily gently.

"Huh? What? Is it time for class already?" Emily mumbled incoherently. Sitting up straight, she tried to focus her bleary eyes on Casey's face.

"Em, you fell asleep at your computer. It's almost dinnertime," Casey said softly, gently pulling her friend out of her chair, but Emily was suddenly wide awake, her gaze taking in Casey's appearance.

"Why are you all dressed up?" She demanded with a knowing glint in her eye. "Where are you going?"

"Out with Josh. He's taking me to dinner"

"Somewhere fancy?" Emily asked smugly, and Casey folded her arms.

"It's just dinner, Em," she insisted. "He's not going to." Emily raised an eyebrow.

"Sure he isn't," she said, her voice maddeningly superior. "I'm going to get a burger or something. You have fun and call me when he-"

"Don't you even say it," Casey warned. Shrugging, Emily picked up her keys and disappeared out the door.

Sighing, Casey picked up her sweater and purse and headed out after her friend.

--

"Isn't this place great?" Josh asked. Casey smiled and nodded, taking in the beautiful dining room. She rubbed her arms, feeling chilly even though it was a warm May evening. The maître'd led them out onto the terrace. Josh pulled out her chair and Casey tried to smile, but she was feeling nauseous. She had planned on telling him tonight, but the setting made her feel uncomfortable. Still, she had no choice.

A waiter came by and handed them menus. Casey stared at hers for a long time, though she wasn't really reading it. Josh kept glancing at her, which was making her nervous, so she pretended to still be deciding.

"Case?" He said finally. She tensed, but laid her menu flat and smiled at him.

"Yes?" Before he could reply, the waiter arrived to take their orders. When he was gone again, Casey took a slow sip of her wine and looked at Josh expectantly.

"Erm, I…" he paused. "You look beautiful." She smiled politely.

"Thanks," she replied. "You look nice, too. This place is very fancy." He nodded, looking nervous.

"I made these reservations weeks ago," he admitted, and Casey couldn't help but giggle. The mood lightened and Josh finally smiled a _real_ smile. "You really do look amazing."

"Well, this _is _a new dress," Casey joked, and they laughed. Now that she was more relaxed, Casey decided she was ready to say it.

"I have something to say," they both said at the same time, and Casey froze. Josh seemed nervous and bemused.

"You first," he offered, but Casey shook her head.

"No, you first." He raised an eyebrow and waited. Gathering her courage, Casey took a deep breath.

"I'm moving back home," she blurted out as he said, "Will you marry me?"

"What?" Their dual cry attracted the interest of the other patrons, but neither took notice.

"You're leaving?" Josh demanded.

"You want to get married?" Casey asked, only somewhat surprised.

"You're leaving?" He repeated, more quietly, his expression heartborken. Casey sighed.

"After the graduation ceremony next week. I need to go home and see my family. I miss them, Josh."

"Are you planning on coming back?"

She didn't want to answer that question. If she was completely honest, she didn't know. She had already been offered several positions here in London (England), but she could just as easily get a job in Ontario. Josh was here, and so was Emily. But there were things in Ontario that couldn't be replaced, no matter how hard she tried.

"I want to," she admitted honestly. "But I had – have – a life in Ontario, too. There are people there that I care about, things that I miss."

Josh fumbled in his pocket and pulled out a little black box. He started to open it, but Casey reached over and covered it with her hand. "Don't," she pleaded. "Josh, I really like you, but marriage? We haven't even been dating two years yet! I never meant to stay in England forever."

"I know," he replied, "but does that really matter? I- I love you Casey. I'm not asking you to marry me next week or even next year. Just when you're ready." He pulled the box gently from her grasp and popped it open. Startled, Casey hesitated.

**A/N (again): This one is kind of short. They will get longer later on, I promise.**


	2. Chapter 2

Just a quick note and then I'll leave you to your reading! In case you haven't noticed, this story is rated differently than Pieces. I rated it T, but there is a chapter or two that I may rate M just to be safe. I honestly don't think it's a big deal, but I don't want the story to get deleted. That would suck. So I'm just warning you now that there are some slightly more adult themes in this one.

Also, while going through what I've written, I realized that it has a few more mentions from S4 than I thought. There is nothing any later than "How I Met Your Stepbro", from what I can tell.

Plusalso, this story is almost completely written, but it needs a lot of tweaking and I'm fairly busy. So updates will be fairly frequent, but not daily or anything like that! 

Picking Up

**Chapter Two**

Casey stepped out of the terminal and immediately scanned the area for a familiar face. Spotting one, she rushed forward and threw her arms around her mother's neck.

"Casey!" Nora Venturi seemed to be tearing up and wiped hastily at her eyes when they broke apart.

"Oh, mom!" Casey wiped at her own eyes. "My mascara is going to run."

"You should've known to wear waterproof," Lizzie teased from behind their mother. Casey hugged her sister tightly.

"We'll talk later, right?" Lizzie whispered before Casey pulled away. Casey paled slightly and glanced at her mom's confused expression before giving Lizzie a pleading look.

"Later," she promised.

"Wow, Case, your stuff is really heavy," a deep male voice said from behind her. Turning, she grinned at Edwin, who dropped her bags long enough to hug her. She was astonished at how tall he was getting; he had already surpassed her.

"Come on, Ed, a big strong guy like you?" She teased. "You can handle it, no problem." He pretended to flex his muscles.

"Casey!" Marti came running from the far end toward the terminal with George lagging behind.

"Smarti!" Casey hugged her with a grin. "Hey, George," she added to her step-father.

"Marti had to go to the bathroom," he said by way of explanation. "Glad you're home, Casey," he panted.

"Thanks. It's good to be back." Casey looked around, her expression a mixture of hope and anxiety.

"Where's-" She stopped at the look on Lizzie's face.

"Derek couldn't make it, but he'll be at the house later for dinner," George said, having finally caught his breath. Casey nodded, feeling relieved and disappointed at the same time, but she said no more.

---

Casey dumped her suitcase onto her bed and sat down next to it, taking a deep breath. Having been away from home for two and a half years, it felt good to see her bedroom again. Standing, she unzipped the suitcase and started pulling out stacks of clothing.

A knock on her door made her glance up from her methodical task of separating the clothing. Marti hesitated before entering the room.

"Come on in, Marti," Casey offered, and the younger girl smiled and sat on the bed.

"Are you home to stay?" She asked quietly. Casey didn't answer right away, avoiding her step-sister's gaze. "You're leaving again, aren't you?" Marti asked after several seconds.

Casey sighed. "I don't know yet," she said honestly. "I have some things to work out."

"Like Derek?" She asked, and Casey froze.

"I – what do you mean?" She stuttered, and Marti shrugged.

"I heard Lizzie saying Derek made you leave. I didn't think Derek would do that, even if he is mean to you sometimes. But after you left Lizzie wouldn't talk to Derek for like three months." She studied Casey's face, and Casey turned away.

"No, Marti, Derek didn't make me leave. I chose to leave for – some reasons." She turned back and tried to smile. "I actually missed Derek," she admitted. "I'll be glad to see him tonight."

--

Casey had been wrong before, but never quite that much. From the moment Derek walked in the door, she knew things were going downhill fast.

"Casey, will you help Lizzie set the table?" Nora called from the kitchen. Casey collected the silverware and followed her sister to the table.

"Nervous?" Lizzie asked out of the corner of her mouth. Casey glared at her.

"No." She set the silverware out at their usual places. Lizzie shook her head.

"You're short one set," she said. Casey stared at her.

"No I'm not. I have seven places set out." Lizzie smirked.

"Trust me, you'll want to set out one more." Confused and suddenly anxious, Casey collected one more set of silverware and placed it at the eighth chair.

They were all gathered around the table, about to sit down when the front door opened. Quelling her nausea, Casey tried to smile as Derek came into the room. Unfortunately for her, he was not alone.

"Lindsey?"

"Casey." It wasn't a question, it was a threat. Casey heard it clearly in Derek's tone. _Be nice, or else_.

"Casey!" Lindsey greeted her seemingly warmly, and Casey thought she might have imagined the slight edge to the blonde girl's tone. "I didn't know you were back from England!" That time, Casey knew she hadn't imagined it.

"I got back this afternoon," she replied, taking her usual seat across from Derek and next to her mother. She started to pick up her glass when she realized everyone was staring at her. "What?"

"Erm, that's Lindsey's seat," Marti piped up. Casey raised her eyebrows.

"Oh. I –uh, I always sat in this seat before I left."

"It's fine," Lindsey insisted. "I can sit over here."

"No." Derek's tone was cold and final. "You'll sit where you always sit. Casey doesn't mind, _do you_ Case?" Giving him a defiant look that said she wouldn't be bullied, Casey started to protest, but caught the look on her mother's face. Smiling graciously, she said, "Of course I don't mind," and moved to sit next to George.

"It's really not a big deal," Lindsey began, but Derek was already pulling Casey's chair out for Lindsey. Casey glared at him before turning to her glass, which she noticed was empty.

"Excuse me, I think I'm going to go get some wine," she said, standing and carrying her glass into the kitchen. She pulled a bottle of white wine from the rack and poured a glass.

Later, she regretted not bringing the entire bottle. It was Sally all over again. Even though he was nineteen, Edwin watched Lindsey with a slight puppy-dog air. Marti was showing Lindsey her sparkly nail polish and Lizzie chatted with her about sports, which Lindsey seemed to know an awful lot about.

_Probably to impress boys_, she thought scathingly. Then she felt guilty, remembering how she had once done that for Max.

The one highlight seemed to be that Lindsey hadn't wowed everyone with her amazing culinary skills or belching talent. She did, however, seem to be liked by the entire family. Apparently dinner with Derek and Lindsey had become a weekly tradition in the McDonald-Venturi household ever since Derek had gotten his own apartment. Casey felt relieved when it was revealed that Lindsey had her own apartment, and did not live with Derek.

When the entire terrible ordeal was _finally_ over, Casey offered to do dishes, but Lizzie and Marti jumped up. "No, Casey, tonight is your welcome home party. You just sit back and enjoy yourself." So she was left with nothing to do but go up to her room and read for the rest of the evening, until she fell asleep.

---

"I'm just not comfortable with it," Casey heard Lindsey say as she passed the stairs on her way to the bathroom sometime around midnight. Curious, she paused and listened.

"Neither am I," Derek replied, and his voice sounded hard. "But there's nothing we can do about it. This is her home, too. She has every right to come back here." Casey peeked carefully around the edge of the wall, over the railing. Derek and Lindsey sat at the table. Casey fumed at the sight of Lindsey still seated in _her_ chair. What kind of injustice was that?

Using the banister for support, Casey slid into a sitting position with her back against the wall, just out of sight of the table.

"What if she's still in love with you?" Casey could barely contain herself. _If_? _IF_? Lindsey spoke as though Casey's feelings for Derek had been some sort of phase. How dare she?

Derek's words made Casey feel sick. "She isn't. If she was still in… love with me," he said, barely able to choke the word out, "she would have stayed in hiding in England. Just the fact that she's back her proves that she's over me. Besides, I heard Nora telling dad that Casey is doing an internship at her dad's law firm starting in August. So in a few months, she'll be in New York and out of my hair."

Several emotions hit Casey at once. First, she wanted to kill her mother for making the internship a done deal when it definitely wasn't. Second, she wanted to march downstairs and show Derek exactly how much she was still in love with him.

Lastly, she wanted to cry, because Derek didn't seem to care at all.

"Wow," Lindsey replied quietly. "That's… reassuring." She sounded relieved and skeptical at the same time.

Derek remained quiet for a moment, and Casey felt ready to burst with trepidation.

"You shouldn't need reassuring," he said finally, his voice soft. Casey had only ever heard that tone once before: the gentleness mixed with a firm desperation. Derek had used it with her the last time they had spoken, before she had left.

_Before you ran away_! She corrected herself angrily. _Before you gave up on the only guy you'll ever love_! Because she didn't love Josh. She knew that now more than ever. She cared for him, she _liked_ him. But she could never love him.

She was so busy scolding herself that she missed Lindsey's next words. Her self-disgust and desperation to see Derek's face gave her the courage she needed to peer around the corner again. She knew Derek. He could say the sky was green and any girl would believe him, but Casey would know if he was telling the truth simply by his expression.

Finally she managed to poke her head out far enough to see Derek's face. Immediately, she wished she hadn't. What she saw in his eyes caused her to well up with tears again, but she couldn't look away.

Derek was holding both of Lindsey's hands and looking directly at her. "I care about you," he said. "You don't need to worry about Casey. Not even a tiny bit."

Unable to stand it any longer, Casey whipped around, her tears spilling over as she climbed to her feet. She had taken half a step when she bumped into someone.

"Casey?" Edwin whispered. "What are you doing?" The sound of chairs being pushed back echoed up the stairs and Ed gave Casey a knowing look laced with pity. Pushing past him, Casey locked herself in the bathroom just as the front door closed.

_He knows_, Casey thought to herself. She'd known that Lizzie was aware of the situation, but Edwin? Though she supposed it made sense. Edwin had a keen sense of observation. He didn't need to be told things; he just figured them out for himself. Staring into the mirror, trying to compose herself, she wiped the mascara from her cheeks with a tissue and tied her hair into a ponytail.

She checked the hallway to be sure it was clear before hurrying back to her room. At least no one had taken _that_ away from her. She climbed into bed and pulled the covers to her chin.


	3. Chapter 3

Here's chapter three! Hope you enjoy it. :)

Picking Up

**Chapter Three**

Casey finally returned to her room and lay awake all night, staring at the ceiling. She couldn't get Derek's face out of her mind. She'd managed maybe two collective hours of sleep before loud banging woke her. Sitting up and trying to focus her sleep deprived eyes, she listened carefully. It sounded as though someone was moving furniture.

She swung her feet to the floor and stumbled out into the hall, smoothing her hair back out of her eyes as she did. Edwin, Marti, and Lizzie came out of their rooms at the same time.

"What's going on?" Marti mumbled, rubbing her eyes. Casey shrugged. Together, they peered through the open door of Derek's old bedroom, which Nora and George had been using for extra storage since he'd moved out.

George and Derek were inside, setting up Derek's old bed. All of the boxes had been pushed against one wall and the fitness equipment that once stood under several years of dust was gone.

"What are you doing?" Casey asked, stifling a yawn. She hoped it wasn't what it looked like. Because it looked like Derek was moving back in.

Derek's eyes flickered to the doorway. He looked at Ed, Liz, and Marti, but purposely ignored Casey and her question. George sat on the bed and looked up at them.

"Derek's apartment flooded," he explained. "He'll be staying here until they sort it out." Casey felt her chin hit the floor.

"What?" She stared at George. This couldn't be happening. "He can't! Why can't you go live with _Lindsey_?" She demanded.

"I have just as much right to be here as you do," Derek snapped. "I-"

"Don't start, you two," George broke in wearily. "You know, you'd think at your age you would learn not to fight with each other. Twenty-five is a little old to still be bickering."

"Umm, George, I'm twenty-one," Casey said with a slight smirk. The three younger children snickered behind their hands.

George shook his head. "I'm going downstairs for coffee. We can finish after breakfast, Derek." Derek shrugged and flopped onto the bare mattress, pulling his iPod from his pocket and inserting the earphones. They all knew that was their cue to leave, but only Ed, Liz, and Marti did. Casey stayed.

It took a few minutes for Derek to realize she still stood there. When he did, he rolled his eyes and made a shooing motion with his hand. Casey folded her arms and leaned against the door frame. Growling under his breath, he pulled out one earphone.

"Can I help you?" He asked sarcastically. Casey smirked at him.

"I doubt it," she replied. He glared at her.

"What do you want, Casey?" He asked, exasperated.

"Why are you here? Out of all the places you could have stayed, you chose here? It's bad enough that you are being such a jerk to me, but now I have to put up with it all the time?"

"If you don't like it, why don't you just go back to England?" He shot back, and Casey narrowed her eyes, ignoring the urge to cry that lodged in her throat.

"Maybe I should!" She knew her voice cracked, but she swallowed past it and went on. "Since you obviously don't want me around."

"You're right, I don't," he said. "So go back to England for all I care." He stood up and approached her. Her heart started beating very fast. "And stay out of my face while I'm here." He left the room, shoving her out of the way with his shoulder as he went. She heard him stomping up the stairs into Edwin's attic room, and then the door slammed. A few seconds later, Edwin came down to the second floor landing.

"What did you do?" He asked. Casey slowly raised one eyebrow as she heard something shatter against the floor above them.

"I hope that wasn't something valuable," she said nonchalantly before heading downstairs to the kitchen. As she did, she heard him rush back up the stairs to his room.

George and Nora were in the kitchen, sipping coffee. Smiling at them, Casey poured herself a cup.

"Good morning, mom," she said. "Good morning, George."

"Morning, Casey," George replied. He cleared his throat to hide his laugh. "Who acts older than she is, therefore confusing me about her age," he added in an undertone. Casey snorted and Nora looked confused.

"What?" She asked.

"Nothing," George replied, winking at Casey. She smiled, glad that he wasn't upset about what had happened upstairs. Of course, he didn't know the real reason for Casey and Derek's bickering, or the new levels of animosity.

"What's for breakfast?" Marti asked as she bounded into the room, much more awake than she'd been upstairs. Her long dark hair was pinned back with a sparkly clip that matched her sparkly leg warmers. She wore a hot pink bandana tied around her waist over a denim skirt, and a purple top. Marti's style was still her own. Casey smiled at the memory of the bathing caps Marti had worn to school when she was younger.

"There's cereal in the cabinet," George replied, and Marti wrinkled her nose.

"Very funny," she replied. "I want pancakes."

"Me, too," Lizzie said, appearing in the doorway.

"Me, three." Edwin grinned at his own joke.

George and Nora exchanged glances before jumping up and hurrying down to their basement room.

"Mom!" Lizzie yelled after her.

"Dad!" Ed and Marti shouted together.

"Ugh," Lizzie said, sitting down at the table. "They always do that!"

"I know," Marti agreed. "What kind of parents are they?"

Casey laughed, and all three kids turned their faces toward her with expectant smiles. "No way," she replied quickly. "I've got… things to do."

Lizzie stuck out her lower lip. "Please Casey?"

"You know how to make pancakes!" Casey protested.

"Yeah but not very well," Marti piped up. Lizzie glared at her. "No offense, but it's true. Casey makes the best pancakes ever." Casey knew Marti was just flattering her so that she would give in, but she smiled anyway and pulled out a frying pan.

"Hey," said a hurt sounding voice, "I thought _I_ made the best pancakes, Smarti." Derek stood in the doorway, faking an offended look. _Leave it to Derek to turn everything in a competition_, Casey thought.

"You do," Marti said sweetly. "When Casey's not here." Casey shot Derek a smug look and turned back to the stove to start the burner. She heard him pull up the chair right behind her and decided that he better not expect any pancakes, because she certainly wasn't making any for him.

"So how long are you staying, bro?" Edwin asked. Casey pretended not to listen while secretly hanging on every word.

"I'm not sure. They said it will take a least a week to dry the place out, and then they have to go in and do wall repairs and stuff."

"Did any of your things get ruined?" Lizzie wanted to know.

"A few things," he replied as Casey pulled the flour out of the pantry. "It's cool, though, the water company is paying for it because it was their fault that the pipe burst." Lizzie nodded and took the milk out, pouring a glass. Casey mixed the batter and measured out the first pancake. She poured it into the pan and listened to it sizzle with a feeling of great contentment. She loved that sound.

"That smells so good," George said when he emerged from his room ten minutes later. Casey had added sausage to the menu and Marti was making chocolate milk for everyone.

"Yeah, no thanks to you," Nora joked as she came up behind him.

"Or you," Casey said to her mother. She flipped the last pancake a little too high and lost her balance as she tried to catch it. "Watch out!" She called. Everyone moved away, except for Derek, who was still seated. The pancake slipped off of Casey's spatula and landed in Derek's lap. For a second, the whole room seemed to freeze, everyone holding their breath (even Casey) waiting for Derek's reaction.

Derek picked up the pancake and looked from it to Casey. She tried to look apologetic and stifle her laughter at the same time, but this became impossible when Derek took a bite out of the pancake, a slight smile on his face.

"These are the worst pancakes ever," he told her, but he was smiling in a teasing sort of way, and she relaxed. "Klutzilla," he whispered so that only she could hear. She smiled back at him and took the pancake from his hands, tossing it onto a plate.

"Drown it in syrup, then," she advised. Lizzie snorted out a laugh and knocked over her milk.

"It must run in the family," Edwin said. Lizzie retorted by splashing him with the spilled milk.

"Food fight!" Marti called, and in a flash Casey, Nora, and George grabbed each one of their wrists. Derek looked on in amusement.

"Not unless you want to scrub the kitchen," was Nora's reply.


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: I just wanted to thank everyone who has reviewed! I don't write for the reviews, I write because it's what I love, but the reviews keep me encouraged when I'm feeling frustrated. Like right now. :P As usual, the story took a slightly different turn than I was expecting, but I hope everyone likes it!

Lanter, _"__I like that some of Derek and Casey's old dynamic came back at the chapters end." _ Thank you for picking up on that. That's exactly what I was going for. It makes me very happy as a writer to know that I was successful!

Anyway, here is chapter four!

Picking Up

**Chapter Four**

_That was weird_, Casey thought to herself as she cleaned up later. She felt relieved that Derek had not gotten angry, but also confused. Hardly half an hour earlier, he had yelled at her to go back to England. The look he had given her in the kitchen had been familiar. It was the look he always used to give her when he made fun of her. Why was he looking at her that way again? What could have changed?

Then she realized. "Edwin."

She knew she should wait until Derek left, to lessen the chance of an awkward interruption. So she waited. And waited. And waited. Derek hung around all afternoon, watching hockey with Edwin, playing games with Marti, kicking the soccer ball with Lizzie. Finally, around five that afternoon, he announced that he was going to buy everyone dinner.

"You all had better write down what you want, or I'll forget it," he said as he left the room. Casey sat curled up on one end of the couch with Marti standing behind her, brushing her hair. She looked up in astonishment, wondering if "everyone" included her.

Marti, Lizzie, Edwin, George, and Nora all wrote their orders on a piece of paper. Casey hung back, feel awkward and unsure. Derek reentered the room wearing a jacket and took the paper, heading out the front door. Casey knew no one had noticed, and she suddenly felt sad and alone.

Excusing herself, she dragged up the stairs and went to her room. She had just opened to the saved place in a book when her cell phone rang. Picking it up, she was surprised to see that it was Derek.

"What?" She asked in a tired voice. She flipped to the next page and marked it.

"Are you hungry?" He asked. She rolled her eyes. She wasn't in the mood for gloating.

"Very funny," she replied.

"What's funny?" He sounded confused. "Why didn't you write anything down?"

Stunned, Casey replied, "I didn't expect to be included." Derek was quiet for a moment.

"You're part of the family, too," he said finally in a soft voice. "And you made breakfast for me." She decided to leave out the part where she hadn't intended any of the pancakes for him.

Oh," she replied. "Well, then I guess just get me a hamburger somewhere. Extra pickles," she added.

She could hear the smile in his voices. "Do you want fries with that?"

She giggled quietly. "Practicing?" She teased. She could almost see him rolling his eyes.

"Well, I have to get good at it, don't I?" He joked back. "You're getting fries. Do you want a drink?" She shrugged even though he couldn't see her.

"Coke?" She asked.

"Sure." Before she hung up, she could swear she'd heard him say, very softly, "Anything for you."

---

"Why is Derek being nice to me?" Edwin looked up in surprise.

"I – uh – why wouldn't he be?" He stuttered. Casey folded her arms over her chest and stared menacingly at him. Edwin was easy to break.

"I'm waiting," she said, tapping her foot.

"Okay, okay!" He caved quickly and gestured for Casey to sit down. "I was sitting here when he came barging in, kind of like you did just now?" Casey glared at him and he hurried on. "He yelled at me to get out, which I thought was really rude considering this is my room, but I left out of the kindness of my heart-"

"You left because you didn't want to get beat up," Casey corrected him, amused.

"Do you want to know this or not?" Edwin asked indignantly. Casey nodded quickly.

"Yes, please. I won't interrupt again."

"So I came down here but when I heard him break something, I knew it must be really bad, so I went back up there."

"And you wanted to see what he broke." Edwin glared at her and she "zipped" her lips. "Sorry."

"Anyway, I came in and he was sitting in the chair with his head in his hands and muttering to himself. I was a little concerned for him, I won't lie. By the way, he broke my favorite CD. I should make one of you buy me a new one."

Casey crossed her arms. "Edwin, if I didn't know any better, I would say you're stalling." Edwin shook his head nervously.

"St-stalling? Me? Why would I stall? I'm just trying to tell a good story here."

"Well, why don't you get to the climax, then?" She said pointedly, and he nodded.

"Fine," he said, looking defeated. "But you're not going to like it." He cleared his throat and Casey felt a fair amount of trepidation. "It was like he didn't even realize I was there, even when he looked right at me. He said, 'you're never going to get over her if you keep letting her get to you.'" He looked at her sadly. Casey felt her face fall. She could feel her muscles drooping into a miserable frown.

"Thanks for being honest with me, Ed."

He looked very sorry for having said it. She gave him a reassuring, but fake, smile. "Are you staying?" He asked her. "Marti says you're thinking about going back to England."

"I don't know," she told him, echoing her words to Marti. "I want to stay, but part of me is in England now, too."

"You never should have left," Edwin told her. He wasn't scolding her, she could tell. He was simply voicing his opinion.

"I know."

She went back downstairs to her room and flopped onto her bed, pulling a pillow over her face. She cried into it for awhile.

When she had finished crying, she went and sat her desk, deciding that the only way to feel better was to write poetry. She reached into her purse and pulled out a small but thick notebook. Nearly every page had writing on it. She had written a poem everyday for the first year she spent in England. All of them were about Derek.

Turning to the back, she read the list she had made just before booking her plane ticket home. It had two columns, "Stay" and "Go Home". The "Stay" column had three names written on it: _Emily_, _Josh_, and _Derek_. Those were her reasons for staying in England. "Go Home" had several more names: _Mom_, _Lizzie_, _Marti_, _Edwin_, _George_, and _Derek_.

She shook her head. Why did she have to be so messed up emotionally? If she would have just stayed here in the first place, everything would be fine. Now Derek was in love with someone else and desperate to "get over" Casey.

She sat up straight. _He never said he _loved_ Lindsey. He said he cared about her. And he's trying to "get over" me, which means he still loves me._

What had Derek said? "You're never going to get over her if you keep letting her get to you." Well if that was the case, then Casey was going to "get to" him as much as possible. And that would only work as long as they were in the same house. Once he moved back into his apartment, her chance would be gone.

A few weeks had never seemed so short a time.

**---**

The next morning, Casey enacted Phase One of Covert Operation Purple Fog II. She decided that the adage "Out of sight, out of mind" would be her motto for this phase. If Derek was in the house, even if Lindsey was there with him, Casey would be there, too. Except in Derek's room, of course, but her hope was that he would watch a lot of TV and eat a lot of food. Which she was sure he would. He was Derek after all.

Derek was in his chair, as usual, watching a hockey game. It was like old times, but… not. Casey dressed carefully in something she knew he would notice and bounded down the stairs.

"Who's playing?" She asked. Derek stared at her.

"What?" She shrugged, grinning inwardly.

"Who's playing?" She repeated. He didn't answer, only shook his head and turned back to the TV. "I- uh guess I'll go get some breakfast," she said, disappointed.

In the kitchen, she mentally kicked herself. _The object is to irritate him, not confuse him!_

George came up the stairs, dressed for work. Casey poured him a cup of coffee. "Thanks, Casey," he said, taking it.

She smiled. He had his hand on the doorknob of the back door when she thought of something. "Hey George, wait," she said, more loudly than was necessary, hoping it would catch Derek's attention.

He paused, looking curious. She thought she heard the creak of Derek's chair. "I was wondering if you have any temporary positions I could look into. I'm thinking of trying to get something until I go to law school in September." She didn't mention that she was planning on going to law school here. She had a feeling Derek was listening and she didn't want him to know that just yet.

George looked thoughtful. "I don't think so, but I'll check. While I'm at it, I'll talk to some other people I know in the legal business. Maybe I can find you something. It won't be a lot of fun, though, I'm warning you. Starting out in law, you always get the worst jobs and assignments."

Casey shrugged. "That's all right. I'm not expecting anything glorious. Just some experience and a little extra cash."

"I'll see what I can do." He left the kitchen and Casey turned to see Derek standing in the doorway.

"Eavesdropping?" She asked smugly. He glared at her.

"It's a free kitchen," he shot back. She smirked. He turned to leave.

"Did you forget something?" She asked.

"What?" He demanded.

"Whatever you came in here for," she replied. "Or are you lost?" He spun on his heel and stomped off into the living room. She heard him plop back down in his chair.

Smiling to herself, Casey opened the cupboard, searching for something healthy, but her eyes fell first on a bag of Derek's favorite chips. A light bulb went on in her head and she grabbed the bag and one of the sodas she knew he had bought, and returned to the living room.

"Oh, come on!" Derek was yelling at the TV. Casey sat down on the couch, just out of Derek's reach. He glanced at her. "What are you doing?" He demanded. She gave him an innocent look.

"I'm just watching TV," she replied nonchalantly. His gaze narrowed.

"I mean, what are you doing eating my chips?" He clarified. His eyes fell on the can in her hand. "And drinking my soda!" He looked furious, and Casey hid her smile the best she could.

"Well, geez, I didn't know this stuff was off-limits. I'd put it back, but I've already gotten my germs all over the can." She gazed longingly at the chip bag. Shifting her weight on the couch, she "accidentally" knocked the bag to the floor. "Oops!" She cried. She stood quickly, scooping the spilled chips into her hand, and "accidentally" stepped on the bag, crushing the remainder.

"Ca-sey!" He shouted. "Those are my favorite!" She bit her lip, trying to look as though she hadn't planned the whole thing.

"Sorry," she said. "You know I'm a klutz! Remember, that time you made me fall down the stairs? Well, I guess it was technically _Sam_ that made me fall," she amended. "I mean, I just got so nervous every time he came around."

Derek turned away, glowering at the TV. "Yeah, I remember," he said tersely.

She faked an apologetic look. "Oh, I'm sorry," she said quietly. "I forgot you didn't like us being together, did you? Gosh, you were _so_ jealous." She could tell by his expression that she was treading thin ice and switched gears quickly. "I just start babbling whenever I do something like this," she said with a laugh. "But you used to like it when I would babble. You pretended you hated it, but you would always let me go on and on and I remember you would get this little smile on your face-"

She broke off, because Derek had thrown down the remote and stalked off into the kitchen.

"Darn!" She whispered to herself. She made a mental note. _Irritate him, but don't push him too far. If he walks out, the plan fails._

"Casey! Your phone is ringing!" Marti came running down the stairs, holding Casey's Blackberry. Casey took it from her. Derek reappeared in the room, obviously curious.

"Thanks, Marti." She pressed the button to answer. "Hello?"

"Casey?"

Even though it had been quite awhile, she recognized the voice immediately. "Noel!" She cried happily. Derek shot her a strange look as he sat back in his chair, but she ignored it.

"Wow, I am so glad you still have the same cell phone number," he told her, a smile in his voice. "I would have felt really stupid if it had been some random person answering."

"Well, then I'm glad you get to feel smart today," she teased. "How are you? I haven't seen you since graduation!"

"I'm great," he replied. "I just graduated with a BA in English. I think I'm going to teach."

"Oh, that's great!" She told him. "Are you in Ontario?"

"Yeah. That's why I called you. I was driving past that old restaurant, Smellie Nellie's, and I remembered that time that you tried to set me up with _Kendra_ of all people-"

"Don't remind me!" Casey protested with a laugh. "I think they declared me clinically insane around that same time."

He laughed. "I can see why," he teased. "So, where are you these days? A friend of a friend of Emily told me you were in England?"

"Yeah, for a couple of years," she said. "I'm back in London, now. London, Ontario, I mean!"

"Great!" He replied happily. "Well, I think you should tell me all about the Queen's country over dinner. What do you say?" Casey could see Derek watching her carefully out of the corner of her eye.

"I say, I'd love to."

"Awesome!" He sounded ecstatic. "Well, I'll pick you up Friday at seven, okay?"

"Seven sounds great," she replied. "I'll see you then." They hung up and she looked quickly at Derek, but he had already looked away. Marti observed both of them.

"Do you have a date, Casey?" She asked innocently, but Casey could see that she was waiting for Derek's reaction. Casey started to say no, but stopped. Derek looked thoroughly disgusted, though he tried to pretend he wasn't paying attention to them.

"Yes," she answered. "You remember Noel. He was in the musical with me." Marti nodded.

"Derek was in the musical, too," she said. Casey nodded. "And you kissed Noel, I remember that."

"I did, but it was a stage-kiss, just for show." No sense in pushing Derek _too_ hard.

"Does he like-like you?" Marti asked her.

"Well, he used to like me, but I don't know if he still does."

"He must if he asked you on a date," she mused. Casey shrugged. "Do you like-like him?" Casey hesitated. How to stretch the truth?

"I didn't used to, but I don't really know how I feel about him now. I'll be really happy to see him again, for sure." It wasn't a _complete_ lie. She hadn't seen Noel in over four years. Maybe there would be chemistry now.

Derek snapped the leg rest shut on his chair and stood abruptly, marching up the stairs.

"I don't think Derek likes Noel," Marti whispered. Casey shook her head.

"If he does now, he's not going to very soon," she replied.


	5. Chapter 5

Okay, I owe all of you about a million apologies. I said updates would happen often. I'm a lying liar. :) The thing is, I've reworked this chapter about a million times in the past two weeks. I know I said I had the story finished, but I read back over and it, frankly, I didn't like it as much as I thought I did. I realized that it didn't have the same style as _Pieces_, and I really wanted that. So I've been rewriting the story. Unfortunately, I cannot make this chapter work the way I wanted it to. So I'm apologizing in advance for this chapter, and just know while you read it that I'm not happy with it.

The rest of the story is coming along well, though, and I hope to stick to my original promise that updates would be frequent. Other than that, enjoy the chapter (as much as you can).

Picking Up

**Chapter Five**

"Hey, Casey," George said at breakfast on Friday morning, "I talked to my friend Dave, a lawyer for a firm downtown. He said he's been looking for a secretary, if you're interested." Casey perked up.

"If you mean administrative assistant," she replied, "then I am definitely interested." Derek rolled his eyes. George grabbed a pen and scribbled a number on a piece of paper.

"This is Dave's number," he said, handing it to her. "Call him around two o'clock this afternoon and he'll set you up with an interview." She looked at the number and back at George.

"What's Dave's last name?" She asked. She didn't think it would be professional to call him "Dave" when she didn't really know him.

"Krueger," George replied. Edwin snorted into his cereal.

"As in Freddy Krueger?" He asked, laughing. Casey glared at him.

"I'll thank you to not make jokes about my potential new boss's last name," she informed him. She caught Derek rolling his eyes again.

"Casey's right, Edwin. That's not very nice," Nora added. Edwin just folded his arms and hid his face, dissolving into giggles.

"Ugh," Lizzie said. "I've got him." She grabbed Edwin by the arm and dragged him from the room.

Casey waited until two-oh-one to call Mr. Krueger. Any earlier and she was afraid she would look overeager. He answered on the first ring.

"This is Dave," he said in a clipped, annoyed tone. Casey hesitated, suddenly nervous.

"Umm, Mr. Krueger, this is Casey McDonald, George Venturi's stepdaughter. He told me to give you a call today?" Mr. Krueger sounded delighted.

"Yes, yes, of course. I apologize, it's been a very long day," he explained. "George tells me you're looking for a job?"

"I am, sir," she said.

"Please," he told her pleasantly. "Call me Dave." She wasn't sure she felt comfortable doing so. "Why don't you come in for an interview? Is Monday okay for you?"

"Definitely," Casey replied quickly. "What time would you like me to come?"

"How about ten a.m.?" Casey grinned to herself.

"Perfect," she told him. "Thank you so much, Mr. Krueger."

"Dave," he reminded her before they hung up.

---

Casey dressed nervously on Friday, trying to pick the perfect outfit. She did not want to give Noel the wrong idea. Although she was unsure exactly how she felt about him, she knew it wouldn't compare to how she felt for Derek. Still, somehow she wanted to look nice for Noel. He hadn't seen her for four years. She certainly didn't want his first thought to be, "Wow, she really let herself go."

When she finally finished dressing, Lizzie and Marti came into her room.

"You look beautiful, Casey," Marti said. Casey blushed. Derek passed by her room at that moment, scoffed disgustedly, and kept walking. Lizzie rolled her eyes at him, but Marti watched him interestedly.

"Thanks, Marti," Casey replied, ignoring Derek completely. She slipped her shoes onto her feet and fluffed her hair one more time. It was nearly seven. Right on cue, the doorbell rang.

Casey grabbed her purse, thanked her sisters, and hurried to the stairs. Derek was coming back up, presumably to get away from Noel. She passed by him without a word, but he stopped.

"Do you really think you should go out dressed like that?" He asked, coming very close to her. Casey's pulse quickened, but she smiled serenely.

"Why do you care?" She asked. He shrugged.

"I just didn't think you would want people laughing at you, that's all," he said with a smirk, but his eyes belied his words. Casey raised her eyebrows. A few years ago, she would have taken him seriously, but she knew better now. She leaned in toward him.

"Like I would take fashion advice from you," she said quietly. Smiling, she turned, but Derek grabbed her arm.

"I know what you're doing," he said in a low voice. "I wouldn't have expected it from you, Casey. Poor Noel." He tsked and turned away. Shocked, hurt, and suddenly very guilty, Casey hurried down the stairs and answered the door.

Noel stood there, his finger poised to push the bell again. When she opened the door, he quickly put his hand down and grinned sheepishly. He had gotten taller and was more filled out than he'd been in high school. He still had the same goofy grin, though. She smiled, trying to put Derek's words out of her mind.

"Hey, there," she said, hugging him. She heard the now-familiar scoffing noise, but she ignored it. "You ready?" He nodded and she grabbed her coat, following him out the door.

---

"Is your food okay?" Noel's voice brought Casey back down to earth for the millionth time that night. She looked down and realized she'd hardly eaten any of it.

"It's fine. I guess I'm just not that hungry," she replied apologetically.

"You said you were starving when we got here," Noel remarked, watching her with concern. She stared at him.

"I- I did?" He nodded.

"Yeah. Casey, what's wrong?"

She shook her head and started to eat quickly. "Wrong? Nothing's wrong. Why would anything be wrong?"

"I don't know, but you're trying to cut your chicken with a spoon." Looking down, she quickly laid the spoon on the table and blushed.

"Well, you know, knives are dangerous. One slip of the wrist while chopping and BAM! Someone loses a finger." She tried to smile, but her face seemed to have forgotten how. She couldn't get Derek's words out of her mind.

Noel looked at her for a few moments in silence. Finally, he said, "This place is a little stuffy. I should've have picked somewhere more casual, but I didn't want you to think I was a poor loser."

Casey looked up in surprise. "I would never think that about you," she said in astonishment. He smiled.

"I know," he replied. "But for some reason I had this need to impress you. I guess because we haven't seen each other in awhile. It was stupid, really."

"It's not stupid," Casey reassured him. "I kind of felt the same when I was getting ready. Like I wanted to look how you remembered so you wouldn't be disappointed." He grinned.

"Well, I feel a lot better now." He looked around. "Do you want to get out of here?" He asked, suddenly cheerful. "Go get some ice cream or something?" She nodded vigorously.

"Definitely."

Later, as Noel drove her home, Casey began to feel very badly about her behavior at the restaurant. It wasn't Noel's fault that Derek was a jealous jerk, and now she had ruined their evening.

"Can we do this again soon?" She asked apologetically. "And I promise I'll be in a better mood."

Noel smiled and patted her hand. "Definitely," he replied. "And there was nothing wrong with your mood." She stared at him.

"Are you kidding? I was awful. I'm sorry I ruined dinner."

"You didn't ruin dinner." He pulled up next to her driveway. Derek's car was parked by the curb.

"I completely ruined dinner," she protested. "I'll make it up to you. Next time is my treat."

"I can't let you do that," he said, "but I appreciate the offer."

"Fine. Next time the ice cream is my treat," she countered, and he laughed.

"We'll see." They climbed out of the car and he walked her up the sidewalk to the garage door. She didn't say anything, but she knew they were in full view of Derek's bedroom window. She suddenly decided she didn't want him to see this. She hoped he wasn't up there. She hoped upon hope that he was downstairs watching TV.

"I'll find some way to make it up to you," she insisted. He smiled.

"Don't worry about it, Casey, really." She pulled her keys out of her purse and reached for the door. "Hey, Casey?" She turned around. Noel was standing very close to her. Her heart started to pound in her chest. He cupped one of her cheeks with his hand.

"Noel, I-" She broke off, not knowing what to say. _How about "please don't kiss me!"? _She hesitated. _But if he does kiss me, imagine what that will do to Derek. Isn't that what you wanted?_

"Don't say anything," he whispered. So she didn't. He didn't either. He just looked at her for several seconds._ Whatever you're going to do just do it so I can go to my room and hate myself._

Finally, he leaned forward. She closed her eyes, bracing herself, but his lips simply grazed her cheek. "I'm glad we're friends, Casey," he said quietly. "I've missed hanging out with you."

She smiled, feeling immensely relieved. "Me, too." He walked back to his car with a wave. Still smiling, she headed inside.

Coming through the kitchen, she was glad to see that the TV was on and Derek was seated in his chair. Coming up behind him, she whispered, "You don't know me as well as you think, Derek." He jumped in surprise and stared up at her, taking in her happy expression. He scowled. "I had a great night," she added as she turned away.

"What makes you think I care?" He shot back.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: **I feel like this story is moving really slowly. Does anyone else get that impression? Ugh, anyway, here's chapter six. I promise, we're getting to more action soon (get your minds out of the gutter)! I should have chapter seven up by the weekend.

Picking Up

**Chapter Six**

"Casey, it's wonderful to meet you," Mr. Krueger said, letting her into his office and shaking her hand. "George speaks very highly of you." Casey smiled.

"George is a great stepfather," she told him. "I'm lucky to have him." He nodded and offered her a chair and she sat, studying him. Dave was a very good-looking man in his late-thirties, with dark brown hair. His suit looked very expensive and his shoes shone brightly. Casey smiled. He seemed the type that liked things well-organized and in order. She had this in the bag.

"So, you're starting law school in the fall," he asked her, and she nodded.

"Yes sir, in September."

"Will you be attending school here? George mentioned that you just graduated from Cambridge University in England." Casey nodded.

"I did," she agreed, "but I don't plan on returning to England. I've applied to York University's law school but I haven't heard anything back yet."

"Impressive," he said. "You seem to have a taste for the prestigious, Miss McDonald," he told her, his tone teasing. Immediately, Casey felt an awkward shiver run down her spine. She shook it off and smiled uneasily.

"My aim is to achieve perfection, Mr. Krueger. I settle for nothing less. If I don't get it right the first time – which is rare – I keep working at it until I do."

She knew she had him, hook, line, and sinker. He grinned broadly and said, "I think you'll fit in very well here, Casey. George was right about you. You're the brains of the family."

Casey didn't think that was an entirely accurate statement. Lizzie was very bright, Marti was very shrewd, and Edwin was very charming.

She smiled at Mr. Krueger. "I wouldn't go that far," she said modestly.

"Ha!" He laughed. "George told me you were modest, too. That's a good combination. Just remember that modesty can lead to self-doubt." He smiled at her again. "And Casey, you have no reason to doubt yourself."

Casey nodded, feeling uneasy again. "Thank you, Mr. Krueger."

"Dave," he repeated, standing up and coming around the desk, perching on the edge of it. "The job is yours, if you want it."

The uneasy feeling did not vanish, but it dulled considerably and Casey smiled excitedly. Wonderful!" She stood and shook his hand. "Thank you so much, Mr.- I mean, Dave." He smiled broadly again.

"You can start tomorrow if you like," he told her, and she nodded.

"I would."

"All right then, eight a.m. sharp," he told her. She shook his hand again and said goodbye.

---

"I got the job!" Casey sang out as soon as she had closed the front door. Lizzie and Edwin glanced up from their seats on the couch. Lizzie jumped up and hugged her.

"That's awesome, Casey," she said. Edwin grinned but didn't stand.

"Congrats." Casey returned his smile.

"Thanks!" She squealed. "I'm so excited. Dave keeps everything super organized-"

"Oh, so he's a freak like you," Derek said, coming down the stairs. Casey put her hands on her hips.

"He even offered to have a position ready for me when I graduate from law school," she told him smugly. "But I don't know, I don't want to put all of my eggs in one basket. It's too early to be deciding what I'm going to do after I get my license."

Derek just glared at her. Edwin looked from Derek to Casey and back to Derek, an odd expression on his face. Lizzie raised her eyebrows at Casey and nodded toward the second floor, meaning she wanted to talk in private. With a slight inclination of her head, Casey agreed and they went upstairs to Lizzie's room.

"What are you doing, Casey?" Lizzie asked as soon as the door snapped shut. Casey stared at her.

"What do you mean?" She replied innocently. Lizzie shook her head.

"I'm not _that_ naïve, Case. What are you doing? I thought you came back for Derek, why are you hanging out with this Noel guy and acting like you're leaving again? Marti and Edwin both seem to think you might move back to England in September." Lizzie's arms were folded and Casey sighed.

"I don't know if I'll be going back or not. I applied to law school here, but if I don't get in I don't know what I'll do. I've been accepted to a graduate program over there already. Plus, Emily is still there. And other things."

"Like what?" Lizzie pressed. Casey shrugged.

"Just, things," she said lamely. She wasn't ready to tell Lizzie about Josh. She had to work things out with Derek first.

"Uh huh," Lizzie replied skeptically. "Well, if you don't want to tell me I understand. What I don't understand is why you came back if you're just going to goof around and mess up your chances with Derek." Casey glared at her, stung by these words.

"I am not 'goofing around'," she snapped. "In case you didn't notice, I 'messed up' my chances with Derek when I ran away two years ago."

"I know," Lizzie replied calmly. "You really hurt him, Casey, and he's not going to forget that anytime soon. It's your turn to make the first move. You have to tell him, straight up, how you feel."

Casey opened her mouth to protest, but Lizzie cut across her. "But before you can do that, you have to regain his trust. That's why you should be showing him that you're not going anywhere, not giving the impression that you might leave again any day."

Casey shook her head. "You don't get it," she told Lizzie. "Everything is really complicated right now, and I have to play my cards just right-"

"I know what Derek said," Lizzie interrupted her. "Edwin told me. We both deduced that you wouldn't go down without a fight. I'm just offering my advice. Make it clear to Derek that you're here to stay, for him."

---

Casey thought about Lizzie's advice all afternoon and evening. Could she be making a mistake by withholding everything, playing her cards so close to her chest? Maybe she should just be straightforward with Derek. _He can't honestly think that I don't love him_, she told herself. _He just said that to reassure Lindsey_.

She sat on her bed, her back against the headboard, her knees pulled tight to her chest, arms clamped around them like vices. _Maybe he doesn't know. Maybe Lizzie's right, and I should just sit him down and tell him how I feel._

She shuddered. The thought of doing that made her feel slightly nauseous. _What if I tell him and he still doesn't care? What if I pour my heart out and he turns his back on me?_

_You mean like you did to him?_ Another voice snuck into her thoughts. She felt tears welling in her eyes. She had broken Derek's heart and she had no right to come back in and mess everything up for him. He was happy with Lindsey, wasn't he? He sure seemed to be.

She nodded as though to confirm her decision. She had done enough to hurt Derek. She would let him be happy with Lindsey for as long as he wanted to.

She did plan to follow some of Lizzie's advice, though. She would make sure that Derek knew she was here to stay, and that, above all else, she was here for him.

When she sat down to dinner, she was surprised to see Derek joining them, alone. She figured he would either go out with Lindsey or invite her over. He glanced at her as he took his seat but said nothing.

"So, how did your interview go?" George asked as he passed her the mashed potatoes. "I wanted to call Dave but I didn't get a chance."

Casey smiled. "It went great. Thanks for whatever you said to him. I think he had decided to hire me before I even got there. It was the easiest interview I've ever sat through!" George grinned.

"I just told him the truth." He spooned a large amount of peas onto his plate, earning a disgusted look from Marti, who hated peas, and Edwin, who hated vegetables. "Was he okay with giving you a temporary position? He seemed unsure about that on the phone." Casey caught Lizzie's sharp glance but kept her gaze focused on George.

"Actually, I think I'm going to stay there for awhile. Dave said the position is mine for as long as I want it, provided I give plenty of notice and help train a replacement before I leave." There. That wasn't entirely true, but it was the responsible action in Casey's opinion, and she knew she had just made it perfectly clear that there would be no more abrupt departures for her.

She looked at Lizzie, caught her tiny approving nod, and looked back at her plate before anyone could notice anything. Anyone other than Edwin, that is, who seemed to be watching her every move. She had a sneaking suspicion he would be meeting with Derek later to decipher these moves.

She smiled brightly at Edwin, who blushed slightly and dropped his gaze to the table. When she looked away, she distinctly saw Derek give her an appraising look out of the corner of her eye.

"What about school?" Nora asked. "You weren't planning on taking time off, were you? Casey that could be completely detrimental to your academic career-"

"Mom, it's chillz," she said quickly. She couldn't help it, the word simply slipped out. She glanced fleetingly at Derek, who stared resolutely at his food, looking uninterested in their conversation. Still, when she returned her gaze quickly to her mother, she thought she saw him fidgeting in her peripheral vision. "I- I was thinking about applying to a few law schools, see if I get accepted."

"Like anyone would not accept you," George said with a chuckle, as Lizzie asked, very pointedly, "Here? In Ontario?"

This time Casey knew she caught Derek making a sudden movement, as though he almost looked at her to see her reaction but thought better of it. Casey gave Lizzie a _chill out before you give everything away _look and said, "Yes, actually. I-uh, I want to stay here. I miss my home, and all of you."

Nora, Lizzie, and Marti all said, "Aww," collectively. Edwin barely concealed his grin, and George burst out, "Well, I think that's a great idea, Casey. Were you considering York? I could put in a good word with some of the staff I know there." Casey nodded vigorously, but only focused half of her attention on him. The other half focused on Derek, trying to gauge his reaction.

She couldn't quite tell what he was thinking, as he wouldn't look up from his plate, but she thought she saw a small smile grace his lips. Before she could be sure, he cleared his throat and said, "Well, this was fun, but I've got to run." Marti giggled at his unintentional rhyme. Edwin stared at him.

"Run? Where? I thought-"

"I've got to pick up Lindsey," he replied in a would-be casual voice. "Sorry, bro. I'll catch up with you tomorrow, after I get off of work." Edwin looked thoroughly disappointed. Casey had a similar feeling.

"All right, I guess." Derek flashed a peace sign at the general assembly and disappeared out the front door.

After dinner, Casey helped her mom clear the table and wash the dishes. As they were finishing, her phone rang. It was Noel.

"Hey, Noel?" She said.

"Hey," he replied. "I just wanted to call and see how your interview went." She smiled, grateful that he had thought of her.

"It went perfectly," she told him. "I start tomorrow morning."

He gave a mock cheer. "That's great, Casey, I'm really glad for you."

"Thanks, Noel," she replied, still smiling. She lay the towel down on the counter and sat at the breakfast island. "I'm really excited, but I'm really nervous, too."

"Well, don't be. You're going to be great," he assured her. "Soon he'll be begging you to partner him or whatever."

Casey laughed. "I doubt that, but thanks anyway."

She could hear the smile in his voice as he replied, "Well, I'd love to keep talking but I'm about to meet my sister for a late dinner. I just wanted to see how things went."

"No, it's fine," Casey said quickly. "Thanks for thinking of me."

"No problem," he said. "I'll talk to you later? Maybe I can take you up on that ice cream offer this weekend."

Casey laughed again. "Sounds great. I'll call you."


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: **Again, this is not one of my favorites. This is one of those necessary chapters that propel the plot. I hope you like it, I'm not sure I do, but there you go. Chapter Eight is finished but I still have to review it, so I'll probably post it Monday or Tuesday.

Picking Up

**Chapter Seven**

"Casey, I'd like you to meet Holly. She's our receptionist." Casey smiled graciously at the bubbly looking blonde only a few years older than herself, trying not to betray her thoughts, which went along the lines of _Great, as if I don't get enough "blonde" with Lindsey hanging around_. Which wasn't fair, considering Lindsey's seemed fairly intelligent, but Casey didn't care for rational thoughts on _that _subject any longer.

"It's nice to meet you, Casey," she gushed. "I'm really looking forward to us working together." Casey nodded, keeping her smile up.

"Me, too," she assured the girl, who beamed. Dave grinned at the pair of them.

"Wonderful," he said. "Come on, Casey, I'll show you your desk and you can get familiar with your tasks."

He showed her into his office suite, which consisted of one small room that led into a larger room. The smaller room barely had space for a large desk and a lateral file cabinet. Dave pulled out the chair and Casey sat in it, smiling.

"Here is the user's guide for the phone system," he said, handing her a small manual. "This is your bible," he joked to her. "You'll need to be able to accept transferred calls from Holly and transfer them to me or to my voicemail if it's someone I don't want to talk to." He laughed.

"Are you going to give me a list of people you don't want to talk to?" Casey asked, half-serious, but Dave only laughed again and patted her shoulder. She tried to ignore the uncomfortable pangs in her stomach at his slight touch.

"Don't worry," he told her. "You'll catch on quickly." He showed her how to log on to her computer and how the different files were organized. Then, he walked her through his filing system.

"I did this all myself," he admitted. "When I first started, I wasn't busy enough to need a secretary. But lately I've been swamped with phone calls and-" he gestured in a frustrated manner at the towering stack of files on her desk. She nodded.

"Don't worry, I can have those taken care of by this afternoon," she assured him. He beamed at her again.

"I don't doubt it," he replied. "I think that's about all you need to know for now. If you have any questions, just ask, all right? As long as my door is open. I only close the door when I don't want to be disturbed, okay?" She nodded. "Well, why don't you start with those files and let me know when you're finished." He went into his office, leaving the door slightly ajar.

Casey set to work on the stack of files, feeling that this job might actually be easier than she thought.

By lunch time, she had finished that, emptied the in-tray, and made several phone calls to set up a variety of important meetings (mostly over lunch or dinner), and noted them on his digital calendar, which she downloaded to his Blackberry.

She had brought a healthy lunch with her, unsure of how her coworkers handled lunch time. At one minute to twelve, Dave exited his office and announced that he was heading to a lunch meeting with one of his clients. Casey bid him farewell and headed for the break room, but Holly walked by at that moment and caught her elbow.

"The rest of us are going out. Do you want to come?" Surprised but pleased, Casey nodded.

"The rest of us" turned out to encompass Holly, Steve, the junior assistant to Dave's partner, and Ashley, Dave's partner's secretary. Holly offered to drive, and they rode to the restaurant.

They got a table fairly quickly and Casey perused her menu, listening to the other three chat. They had apparently been working together for a long time.

"So, Casey," Steve said after they received their food, "what's your story?" She blinked.

"My story?" She asked, arching one eyebrow. He nodded.

"You know, where you're from, what you do for fun, that sort of thing?" He elaborated.

Casey shrugged. "I'm from Toronto, but I moved to London when my mom got remarried. I like to dance and sing." She paused. "What else do you want to know?"

"Your mom got remarried?" Holly repeated. "Do you have any siblings or step-siblings?"

Casey hesitated. "Umm, well, I have a younger stepsister, a younger sister, a younger stepbrother, and an older step- stepbrother," she said, stumbling slightly over the words.

"Wow," Ashley piped up, "that's a lot of kids in one house." Casey shrugged.

"It wasn't too bad," she admitted. "We had to do a lot of moving around to get everyone comfortable, but once we were settled things worked out really well." That was a bit of a lie. Things had not worked out well at all in the beginning. She had a vague memory of Derek throwing a red towel in with the whites and turning all of their clothes pink. Many other memories were floating through her mind, all of them centering around some mishap or other from the McDonald-Venturi's first year together. All of the mishaps included Derek in some way.

She shook her head and realized Holly was talking to her again. "I don't have any brothers and sisters, much less stepsiblings. It's kind of lonely. What are your brothers and sisters like?"

Casey felt her neck growing hot at the thought of trying to describe Derek. She started with Marti instead. "Well, Marti is the youngest. She's George – my stepfather's daughter. She's thirteen. She's the baby of the family, so she's pretty well spoiled, but she's a good kid. Lizzie is my younger sister. She's eighteen so she'll be starting university this year. She's smart and quiet. She's a real tomboy; she was the captain of the soccer team at her high school."

"What about your stepbrothers?" Ashley prompted, and Casey took a deep breath.

"Well, Edwin is nineteen. He's starting university this year, too. He's a good kid, too, smart and funny. He does stand-up comedy at Smellie Nellie's once a month."

"What's Smellie Nellie's?" Holly asked, curious.

"It's a restaurant. Derek and I used to work there."

"Who's Derek?" Holly's look of intrigue deepened and Casey felt a sudden rush of dislike for her. Shaking it away, she tried to smile.

"Derek is the oldest. He's – well, he's a pain to be honest. We're complete opposites and drive each other crazy most of the time." Without realizing it, she smiled fondly. "But he's a good guy. He's always there for you if you need him."

"It sounds like you're very close," Steve said with a calculating look. Casey furiously controlled her urge to blush.

"I guess so," she replied with a shrug, trying to look indifferent. "We haven't talked much since I left for England two years ago."

"You lived in England?" Ashley asked. "Why?"

"I attended Cambridge University for a couple of years," Casey told her.

"Wow, what's it like there?" Holly asked, and, thankfully, the conversation did not return to Casey's family for the rest of their lunch break.

As she drove home, Casey went over the conversation in her mind. How would it be if she and Derek did finally come out together, publically? How would other people react? She imagined if she and Derek were dating, or even more serious than that, and someone were to ask her about her family.

"Well, there's Derek, my stepdad's son, who also happens to be my boyfriend." How would that sound? Did she care? Should she?

So engrossed in her own thoughts she barely paid attention to her surroundings, Casey just barely saw the red light in time. She slammed on the brakes, screeching to a halt five feet into the intersection. A truck flew past travelling parallel to her, inches from her car. Panting, she threw her car into reverse and backed out of the intersection. Thankfully, there was no one behind her. She laid a shaking hand on her pounding heart, taking deep even breaths to calm herself.

_That was close_, she thought, trying not to panic. _I could have died_. She could have died, at twenty-one years old, before achieving all the things she had set out to achieve in her life.

Derek's face swam into her mind, and she buried her face in her hands, tears suddenly rushing forward out of her eyes and onto her face, dripping off of her chin and onto her chest. A loud honk jolted her, and she noticed the bright green light shining above her, indicating that she should go. Taking a cautious look both ways and ignoring the second honk, she drove away from the intersection.

When Casey arrived home, she noticed immediately the absence of Derek's car. He should have been home from work by now. When she entered the living room, she saw Lizzie sitting on the couch, wearing her soccer uniform.

"Game tonight?" She sat next to her sister.

Lizzie nodded. "You're coming, right?"

"I wouldn't miss it," Casey promised. "Umm, where's Derek?" She asked, trying to sound casual. One look at Lizzie's face told her she did not.

"He's not home yet," she replied, gauging Casey's expression carefully.

"Shouldn't he be, though?" Casey pressed her. "I mean, it never takes him this long…" She trailed off. Lizzie shrugged.

"I haven't heard from him," she told Casey.

"You should call him," Casey said quickly. "I mean, I'm kind of worried," she admitted.

Lizzie considered her for several seconds. Finally, she said, "_You_ should call him if you're worried." Casey fidgeted.

"I don't think that's a good idea," she protested.

"I think it's a great idea." Lizzie handed her the phone. "Go on," she urged Casey, who stared at it anxiously before sighing and dialing the number.

He answered on the second ring and Casey nearly hung up in surprise. "Hello?"

"Hey, Derek," she said quickly, trying to cover her hesitation.

"Casey?" He sounded surprised. "What do you want?" His words were mean, but his tone was not.

She cleared her throat nervously. "I –uh, I was just making sure you're okay," she confessed quietly. "You're always home by now and I was- I thought something might have happened."

A long pause followed this declaration and Casey's fingers trembled around the phone. Finally, Derek spoke, his voice softer than before. "I'm fine," he assured her. "I just stopped to pick up some milk. I noticed this morning that we were out, and you know dad and Nora will never remember."

"Oh," was all Casey could think to say. "It was stupid, I'm sorry," she told him. She finally glanced up from her lap and realized Lizzie had left the room.

"It wasn't stupid," he told her. "A little crazy, but that's just you." His voice was light and she knew he wasn't insulting her.

"I just-" she swallowed the lump threatening in her throat. "I kind of had a close call on the way home and then you weren't here-"

"What happened?" Derek demanded immediately. "Are you okay? Is your car okay?"

"I'm fine," she repeated his words back to him. "A little shaken, but otherwise unharmed." She gave a shaky laugh. "The car's fine. It didn't get hit. It was awfully close, though," she mused, recalling her feelings of terror as the other vehicle flew past, barely a hair's breadth away.

"Oh," Derek replied. "Good. You had me worried-" He broke off awkwardly. "I'll be home in about ten minutes," he told her, his voice suddenly cool and devoid of emotion. The abrupt change in tone threw Casey off-guard, so that all she could say was, "Ok." And before she could utter another word, Derek had ended the call.


	8. Chapter 8

**A/N: **Here is chapter eight. I don't have chapter nine finished yet and I don't have a lot of free time during the week with classes and homework, so it may be the weekend again before I can finish and post it, but we'll see! :) I hope you guys like this one; I rather proud of this chapter. And a little bit more happens here. ;)

Picking Up

**Chapter Eight**

On Friday night, Casey went out for ice cream with Noel. Derek growled at her as she left, and she came home to find him sitting in his chair, watching TV. He stared at the TV, eyes unfocused, his head swiveling around as he heard her close the front door.

"What are you doing?" She asked, giving him a strange look.

"Just watching the hockey game," he replied. They both turned to look at the TV, which showed a soap opera rerun. Casey raised one eyebrow at him. "But it's obviously just finished, so I'm going to bed."

As he disappeared up the stairs, Casey glanced back at the TV. The soap opera credits were running.

---

Casey went to work Monday morning feeling slightly elated. After Derek's behavior Friday night, and a few obvious comments over the weekend, she could see that she was beginning to break down his barriers. She also felt excited about returning to work, her first week having been nearly perfect. Dave had been singing her praises all week. The only downside to this was that Holly seemed to be giving her the cold shoulder. She wondered if it was jealousy over Dave's praise. Holly _had_ been there a lot longer.

She arrived early; Holly and Dave were not in yet. Casey settled at her desk, leaving her door propped open. She had just finished opening the first document she planned to work on when she caught sight of Holly standing behind the reception desk through the open door. Casey smiled, but Holly barely twitched her lips before turning away.

Sighing, Casey returned her attention to her computer. She had almost finished the document when Dave came strolling through the door. He smiled at Casey and bade her good morning before entering his office and closing the door. Surprised, Casey looked at the door for a moment. Dave rarely worked behind closed doors.

After half an hour, Dave opened his door. He winked at Casey before returning to his desk.

_I wonder what that was about_, Casey thought. Shrugging, she continued on with her work. She finished five more documents and took them into Dave's office to be signed.

He stood in front of one of the bookshelves lining the walls, seemingly lost in thought. Casey cleared her throat gently.

"Oh, Casey," he said, jumping slightly. "I didn't see you there." He turned to face her.

"Sorry," she replied. "I just need you to sign these." She handed him the stack of papers and he accepted them, turning toward his desk. He picked up a pen and signed each one with flourish, handing them back to her in a neat stack.

"There you are," he said, still smiling. He laid a hand on her shoulder. "I can't tell you how pleased I am with your work, Casey. You're incredibly efficient, and that's what I admire most in an employee."

Casey tried to smile, but he had moved his hand to her back, rubbing it gently. "Um, thank you," she replied quickly, her stomach lurching slightly.

"Don't thank me," he admonished. "Just keep up the good work." She nodded and moved quickly to the door, desperate to break the contact. She closed his door most of the way and sat in her chair again, her heart pounding as it had when she'd nearly been run over in that intersection. Had Dave been… _hitting_ on her? Surely that sort of contact was highly inappropriate… wasn't it? Having never worked in this sort of job before, Casey did not know what degree of professionalism was expected, but she felt fairly certain that would not qualify.

Although, she had seen him act the same way with Holly, so perhaps it was just Dave, and that was the way he treated employees. She took a few more quiet deep breaths and focused her mind on her work. Surely Dave would not be so unprofessional and cliché as to hit on his secretary.

By Wednesday, Casey had still come up with no solutions to her possible dilemma. Twice so far that week, Dave had called her pretty, and earlier that morning he had come up behind her at her desk and rubbed her shoulders.

"Casey, are you okay?" She glanced up to see Lizzie standing in the doorway of her bedroom. Casey nodded absentmindedly. "Then why have you been standing on the top stair for five minutes, staring at the banister?" Casey blinked. Sure enough, she stood rooted to the topmost stair, and she couldn't remember how long she had stood there.

"I-uh," she faltered, unable to think of a good excuse. Lizzie eyed her concernedly.

"Does it have to do with-" she jerked her head in the direction of Derek's room. Casey shook her head slowly. "Then what is it?"

"Just a work thing, Liz," Casey replied, barely aware of what she was saying. "It's nothing." She went into her bedroom and closed the door.

How could she handle this situation? How could she tell Dave he was making her uncomfortable without offending him? What if he fired her? She buried her face in her hands, trying to think of a solution.

"I suppose I'll just have to remain as professional as possible," she said quietly to herself. "Then, maybe he will take a hint." She nodded resolutely and left her room to help with dinner.

To her dismay, Lindsey was downstairs, helping set the table. Casey flared up at the sight of her, reminded herself that this was not Lindsey's fault, and reduced her boil to a low simmer.

"Can I help?" She asked brightly. She'd gotten used to not having to see Lindsey.

After what had happened at work, though, she decided the only way she could handle Lindsey on top of everything was a thoroughly optimistic attitude.

Lindsey looked startled, but she handed over half of the items she held, and they set to work in silence. When they finished, they looked at each other awkwardly. Thankfully, Marti broke the tension.

"Casey!" She shouted, running down the stairs. "I'm glad you're home." She hugged Casey before brandishing a piece of notebook paper at her. Casey took it. "I got first place in our class poetry contest!" She squealed excitedly.

"Marti that's great!" Casey exclaimed. Sure enough, a "blue ribbon" sticker adorned the top corner of the paper.

"Read it," Marti said. "I want to know what you think." Obediently, Casey sank into a chair and began reading. When she finished, she had to wipe tears from her eyes.

"Marti, that was beautiful," she gushed. "That's the best poem I've ever read."

"You really think so?" Marti could barely contain her excitement.

"Would I lie?" Casey asked her. "I mean it. Where did you learn to write like this?"

"From you," Marti said, a "duh" apparent in her tone. "You always read to me from really good books and I pick stuff up. My teacher said I'm a natural."

"Well you certainly are," Casey agreed. "I couldn't write half this well at your age." Marti beamed.

"I'm going to go show dad and Nora!" She informed them, and she ran off into the kitchen.

Casey watched her go before turning back to Lindsey, whom she had almost forgotten was in the room. Lindsey's gaze was fixed on the table setting nearest her, her expression sulky. Casey wondered if she was jealous that Marti had not shown her the poem, too.

_Well, she's not your sister_, Casey thought fiercely. _And she never will be, if I have my way!_ And then she thought about what she was saying and felt terrible. When had she become so selfish and heartless?

"Marti's very excited," she said finally, watching for Lindsey's reaction. Lindsey nodded absentmindedly, looking a little hurt still. "She's a great writer, but I think she's a little scatterbrained, especially when she's excited. She tends to overlook things unintentionally." Casey wasn't sure if Lindsey caught her meaning, but she smiled slightly, her eyes still on the table setting.

Marti reappeared and Lindsey said, "Marti, can I read your poem?" Marti seemed to falter slightly. Finally, she handed the paper to Lindsey, who began to read. The further her eyes traveled down the page, the stonier her expression became. When she finished, she seemed to realize suddenly that Marti and Casey were both watching her and quickly hitched an unconvincing smile on her face.

"What did you think?" Marti asked almost sarcastically. Casey stared at her.

"I-uh… it was very good, Marti. You definitely earned first place." Lindsey thrust the paper back at Marti as Derek came pounding down the stairs.

"Hey, Linds," He said, kissing her on the cheek. Casey turned away. "Is dinner almost ready?" He asked the room at large.

"Derek, I think I should go," Lindsey said quietly, but not quietly enough to keep Marti and Casey from overhearing.

"What? Why?" His gaze flickered to Casey, silently accusing her of any number of things, but Casey stared back defiantly.

"I just… I don't feel well," Lindsey lied. "I want to go home and lie down." Derek touched her arm.

"Well, I'll come with you," he offered, but Lindsey shook her head, pulling away.

"No, you stay here and have dinner with your _family_." Casey knew she had not imagined the emphasis on the word by the way Derek's eyes narrowed.

"Okay," he said coolly, and Lindsey left.

Casey knew Derek would confront her as soon as possible and she wanted to avoid a scene, so she practically ran to her bedroom after dinner. Derek followed seconds later, catching her at the door and slipping inside before she could shut him out. He closed the door with an ominous snap and rounded on her.

"What did you say to her?" He demanded without preamble. Casey folded her arms and stood her ground.

"I didn't say or do anything," she shot back. "She read Marti's poem and freaked out, I don't know why. It was just a vague little poem about puppy love." Derek looked back at her, obviously confused.

"What? Marti wrote a poem?"

"For school," Casey explained. "She was all excited because she got first place in some contest. She gave it to me to read; it was really good, actually."

"Nothing about 'woofing' puppies, I hope?" He asked, and Casey blushed slightly, but she grinned at the thought of how she and George had tricked Derek out of the bet money.

"No," she replied in a stern tone to cover her own embarrassment. "Anyway, Lindsey asked if she could read it, and she looked really angry after she did, and then you came down and she left."

Derek rubbed his head in bewilderment. "That's weird." Casey nodded.

"I swear, Derek, I didn't say anything. You can ask Marti if you don't be-"

"It's fine, Casey," he cut her off. "I believe you. I've got to go find Marti." He left, leaving her standing in the center of the room, somewhat stunned.

---

"You've got to be kidding me!" Derek's angry voice brought Casey, Edwin, Lizzie, and Marti out of their rooms Friday evening. They crowded around his bedroom door as they had done the morning he'd moved back in. He held his phone to his ear and he looked livid. "I've already been waiting three weeks!" Cautiously, Casey stepped into the room. She thought she knew what might be going on. Derek saw her and pointed at the phone. "Well, what's the problem now?" He demanded. He nodded slowly and perfunctorily as the person on the other end responded. "And I'm not being held responsible for any of this, right?" The person must have said no, because Derek relaxed slightly. "All right, thank you," he said grudgingly, and he hung up the phone.

All four of the others stared at him. "Derek?" Edwin asked tentatively. Casey glanced toward the doorway and saw that George and Nora stood behind the three kids, also staring.

"They finally fixed the pipe and cleaned everything up," Derek told them in a hollow voice. "But when the city inspector came out to make sure it was ready for me to live in again, he found asbestos in the walls. It's a pretty old building I guess and they thought they'd got it all out but they didn't. So now they have to check the entire place for more asbestos and remove it before I can move back in."

"How long is that going to take?" Nora asked. Derek shrugged.

"They don't know. They said at least another two weeks." Derek sank onto his bed. Casey wanted to sit next to him and comfort him, but could not with everyone standing there.

"We're sorry, Derek," George said. "We don't mind you staying here, though." Derek shook his head.

"I've worn out my welcome long enough," he half joked. He was determinedly not looking at Casey. "I can stay with Ralph or Lindsey-"

"You should stay here," Casey found herself saying. Derek's eyes shot up to hers. Everyone else stared. "Well, you're already here, right?" She said shakily. "And it wouldn't make sense for you to move all of your stuff somewhere else just to move it again in two weeks." George nodded.

"Casey's right. You're staying here. No more arguing," he added as Derek opened his mouth. Closing it, Derek nodded.

"Great!" Nora said. "It's so nice having everyone here together, even if it is only temporary." She left the room and George followed. Lizzie and Edwin walked away, whispering to each other. Marti came into the room, hugged Derek, and then left. Casey knew that Marti was thrilled to have Derek around. They had always been so close.

"What?" Derek's voice startled her out of her thoughts. She stared at him.

"What?" She asked, confused. He rolled his eyes.

"Why are you still standing there?" Casey shook her head.

"I don't… I mean-"

"Why did you really say that?" He asked, standing up and approaching her. Casey's heart rate skyrocketed. "That I should stay?"

Casey hesitated. "I-" Here was her chance. She could tell him everything; tell him exactly how she felt and why she was still hanging on even now when things looked hopeless for them. "I just want you to." She tried to smile offhandedly.

Derek stood inches from her, close enough to touch her or even kiss her. "Why?" He asked softly. Casey swallowed. _Say it!_ Her brain screamed at her.

Derek's gaze had not left her face, and Casey, suddenly feeling trapped, took a step back and fake-punched Derek in the shoulder. "Who else am I going to annoy?" Before he could respond, she left the room.


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: **Thanks so much for all of the wonderful reviews. They make me smile. A lot. :D This is really kind of the crux of the story here, and I have to say I really love this chapter. I hope you do too!

I just wanted to add a couple of things. First, **I'm rating this chapter M**. I don't know that it's really necessary, but I'm not taking any chances. So just be warned that there are some more adult themes here. If you don't feel comfortable with that, don't read. But it is essential to the story, so, yeah.

Second, **mimibear**: I didn't continue that part because nothing happened. Derek realized on the phone that he was revealing too much to Casey, and that's why he stopped talking. He wasn't about to say anything else once he got home. Sorry, I meant to make that clear. :)

**Phoebe p.: **I'm sorry you thought Lindsey was Mary-Sueish. I _always_ try to avoid Mary-Sues. I tried to show in Pieces that Lindsey, though she tried to help Derek get what he wanted because she had come to care about him, still really wanted him for herself. She just wasn't ambitious enough to try to make it happen. That's why I showed her passive-aggressive jealous remarks about Casey being family after she spends the night there.

And yes, Casey's boss is an ass. I've never been sexually harassed by a boss, but I have been by a coworker. *Shudders* And I have been verbally and almost physically assaulted by a male boss who was very degrading toward women. Men like that suck, plain and simple.

**Lanter: **I love your reviews. I love all reviews, but somehow you always manage to pick out my favorite lines of each chapter and draw the same conclusion I have. Casey is weak when it comes to Derek. She always has been. :) And Marti's poem just might make an appearance later. She's still editing it. ;)

**Cherrynuts: **I totally did that on purpose. I'm evil like that.

Picking Up

**Chapter Nine**

Casey spent most of Saturday in her room. Lizzie came by before noon to try and console her, but Casey didn't want to be consoled. She wanted to sit and grieve over what she had done. What a stupid move! She had the perfect opportunity and she had chickened out. Derek had decided to stay, but he hadn't spoken to her at breakfast or even looked at her, and he had left early to "spend the day with Lindsey".

Casey put her pillow up against her face and groaned into it. Why hadn't she just told him? If she had, he would be spending the day with her. Or would he? Would he have reacted positively? Would he have brushed her off or turned her down? Was she putting way too much thought into it?

"Yes," she said aloud to the empty room. "You're thinking about it too much, and that's why you chickened out. You should have told him." Still, she could tell herself that until she died and it probably wouldn't help. She was too terrified of what Derek might say or do if she poured out her heart.

"So, Casey, how is work going?" George asked at dinner Saturday night, for which Derek did not appear. Startled, Casey glanced up at him, unsure how to respond. "Dave told me last week that he's never had an employee quite like you."

Casey repressed a shudder and forced herself to smile. "I just do my best," she said modestly. "I don't try to show off or – or brown-nose or anything." She hadn't meant to say it, but she had been thinking of Holly's recent attitude and blurted it out.

"I didn't say you did," George replied quickly, looking aghast.

"I know," Casey said hurriedly. "I-uh, I was only joking." Her mother watched her knowingly.

"Is everything okay with the other employees?" She asked shrewdly. Casey nodded vigorously.

"Of course." She pinned a bright smile on her face. "We get along great. We have lunch together and everything." Which wasn't a lie, but these lunches had become awkward now that Holly no longer spoke to Casey civilly. Steve and Ashley seemed bemused by the situation and had obviously decided not to take sides.

Nora remained skeptical, but did not argue. To Casey's relief, they finished the meal with no more talk of her job.

On Sunday, Casey came out of her room only to find that Derek had brought Lindsey over. Casey thought back to her original "see and be seen" plan, but she couldn't stomach the sight of them together, so she retreated first to the kitchen and finally to the garage, where she rummaged through random boxes of old junk George could not bear to throw away. She found an old Frisbee and winged it absentmindedly through the garage door, knowing she would have to chase after it.

A hand came out of nowhere and caught the disc. "Noel!" Casey said, more jubilantly than she would have under other circumstances. He beamed at her. "What are you doing here? I thought you were spending the day with your sister?"

He shrugged. "I am. She lives the next street over, but I thought I'd drop by and say hi on my way." Casey grinned.

"Well, I'm glad you did," she replied. She held out her hand for the Frisbee, but Noel backed away a few paces and made a motion as though to throw it. Casey flinched, throwing her hands in front of her face.

"Oh, come on, Casey. You have to learn how to catch a Frisbee," he told her. She shook her head vigorously.

"No way. I'll end up like Marcia on 'The Brady Bunch', with a broken nose." Noel laughed.

"No you won't," he promised. "I'll go easy." Gently, he lobbed the disc toward her and she threw up her hands, still mostly to protect her face. As it came near her, she squeezed her eyes shut and reached toward it, but it bounced off of her outstretched fingers.

"Darn," Casey said, picking it up from the ground. "I told you I couldn't do it." Noel smiled.

"You have to keep your eyes open," he admonished her. "If you can't see it, you can't catch it."

"But if I keep my eyes open, I can see it flying at my face!" She protested. Noel laughed again.

"That's the point!" He took it gently from her grasp and backed away again. "Try again, and don't close your eyes." He tossed it to her again, and Casey squinted, terrified, but desperate to keep her eyes open. The disc soared into her hands and she closed her fingers around it before it could bounce away.

"I caught it!" She announced happily.

Noel shook his head, smiling. "I can see that. Now throw it." Casey raised an eyebrow.

"Are you sure? You might end up with a broken nose."

"I'm sure." Sighing, Casey curled her arm around her midsection and flung the disc. It soared high and to the right, way out of Noel's reach. It flew a good twenty feet out to the curb and bounced off of Derek's car.

Immediately, the alarm sounded. Casey ran toward it as Derek and Lindsey came running through the front door. Derek reached the car first and picked up the Frisbee from the ground. Casey cringed as he handed it to her. "Sorry," she said in a meek voice.

"It was my fault," Noel said. Derek glared at him. "I should have caught it." Casey laughed.

"Are you kidding? You couldn't have caught that if you were the Jolly Green Giant." She turned to Derek. "I can't throw a Frisbee to save my life," she told him. "You know that. It was my fault." Derek continued to glare at Noel and now Lindsey glared at Derek. "Umm, let's go, Noel," Casey said, taking him gently by the arm. He nodded.

"Actually, I have to go or I'll be late to meet my sister," he told her. "But I'll see you Wednesday, right?" She nodded. He hugged her and walked to his car. Casey looked at Derek, who jerked around and marched back toward the house with Lindsey hot on his heels.

---

Casey left for work Monday in a rush, having overslept slightly. She had only managed to fall asleep sometime around four, so when her alarm sounded at six, she had not wanted to drag out of bed. She'd closed her eyes for a split second and the next thing she knew, Derek stood over her, shaking her awake and saying she would be late.

She didn't even have time to wonder why it had been Derek waking her up and not her mom or Lizzie. She rushed through a shower and changing her clothes, threw her still wet hair into a bun and rushed out the door.

She made it to the front door with hardly five seconds to spare, panting and still struggling with the strap on her shoes. Holly rolled her eyes as Casey wrenched open the door, smoothed her skirt, and walked calmly to her office. She sank into her chair and took a deep breath.

Within an hour, Casey had finished most of the work she had planned for the day. She would have to ask Dave for more work to do, which she dreaded. She didn't want a repeat of the week before. He had not come in yet that morning, and Casey decided to hurry through the rest of the work so that she could catch him on his way in, rather than having to go into his office.

"Good Morning, Holly!" She heard his voice ring out through the offices. _Darn_, she thought. He grinned and gave her a little wave as he passed, leaving his door open. Casey had learned by now to pay close attention to whether his door was open or closed.

After another thirty minutes, she finished and approached his office cautiously, making sure to push the door wide open when she entered. He glanced up and smiled.

"How can I help you, Casey?" He asked. She set the stack of documents on the corner of his desk, keeping the large piece of furniture between them.

"I've finished these," she said simply. He beamed at her. "Do you have any more for me?" He nodded.

"I do." He stood up and retrieved them from the credenza behind his desk. She accepted them with a strained smile, still keeping as much distance between them without making it noticeable. "You know, Casey, you amaze me. You get through twice as much work as anyone I've ever known, and you do better work to boot. I feel like I made a real find with you."

"Thank you," Casey said warily.

He waved a hand. "I'll be sure to let George know what a great job he did the next time I talk to him." Casey refrained from mentioning that, as he had only come into her life at fourteen, George had not had a large hand in raising her.

"Thank you," she said again. She turned to leave and, as she did, Dave called, "By the way, I really like the outfit you're wearing. It looks very nice on you."

Closing her eyes briefly, Casey glanced back and nodded, trying to smile. As she made her way back to her desk, she vowed to never wear the outfit to work again.

_Well, it could have been worse_, she told herself as she stacked the documents and headed for the bathroom before starting them. As she passed Holly, she gave a small smile that the other girl did not return. Suddenly fed up with the whole ridiculous power-struggle, she turned and quietly snapped, "What is your problem?"

Startled, Holly glanced up at her. "What?" She hissed. Casey folded her arms, glancing back toward Dave's office to be sure he couldn't hear them.

"You tell me," she shot back. "All of a sudden you have a problem with me, so out with it. What did I do?"

Holly rolled her eyes. "Just because you've got Dave wrapped around your finger doesn't mean we all are."

"What are you talking about? I haven't done anything except my job, Holly," Casey replied, still working to keep her voice low. "If that bothers you, take it up with Dave."

"Oh, right, because he wouldn't side with you anyway," she retorted immaturely. "As if it's really your work that's got him so enamored." Casey stared at her in disbelief.

"And what exactly is that supposed to mean?" She demanded.

"Like you don't know. You should get back to work, you're wasting company time you know." With that, Holly turned her back on Casey, who stared incredulously for several seconds before returning to her desk, forgetting all about the bathroom.

Just before lunch, Dave called, "Casey, can you come in here, please?" Startled, Casey walked over his door and hovered just inside. Out in the front area, Holly scoffed loudly.

"Close the door, please," he said without looking around at her. She did so, slowly and carefully, before approaching his desk, which he stood behind, facing the window.

Finally, he turned to face her. "Don't be nervous," he chuckled, correctly interpreting her expression, but probably not the reason for it. "You're not in trouble." Not at all reassured, Casey folded her hands primly in front of her.

"Casey, I have to say that I have never had an employee quite like you. You're bright, efficient, sharp, and confident in your own abilities. You get through twice as much work as anyone else, and you do better work to boot. Sometimes I wonder if you can even be real." By this point, Casey was blushing heavily and trying very hard not to look too pleased with herself. "And you're beautiful," he added in a tone that suggested she had accused him of thinking otherwise.

Casey's pleasure vanished almost immediately. Her stomach churned unpleasantly. She took a deep breath and said, "Thank you," very quietly. Dave smiled at her, a smile that made her stomach lurch harder than ever. She suddenly felt a little nauseous. What should she say? Could she still be imagining it?

"You're a huge asset to this practice, Casey," Dave continued, seemingly unaware of her discomfort. He came around the desk. Casey did her best not to shrink away, though her foot twitched slightly, as though it wanted her to run. "I'm sure, being the plan-ahead type person you are, that you are already considering where you will work after you graduate from law school."

Casey nodded, not trusting herself to speak. She feared the words that might slip out.

"Well, I can certainly be beneficial to your ambitions," he informed her. He stood a mere six inches from her. She tried to relax, but her body felt rigid, as though steeling itself against an attack. "You've already got me in the palm of your hand, you know."

Casey nodded again, unable to completely look him in the eye. Dave took another step, and it was all Casey could do not to back away from him.

"Casey, I told you not to be nervous," he repeated in what he obviously thought was a soothing voice. "You have no to be nervous around me."

He reached up and, before she could stop him, pulled out the pins holding up her hair. It fell down onto her shoulders, still slightly damp. "You should wear your hair down," he told her. Something like anger exploded in Casey's stomach and as his fingers brushed her cheek, she recoiled sharply. "Casey?" He asked, sounding shocked.

"I don't- I'm not-" Her mouth felt so dry it nearly choked her. She swallowed. "I think I should get back to my desk." Dave looked thoroughly disappointed.

"Do you really think that's the best thing to do right now?" He asked, suddenly stern. She took a deep breath to steel herself and nodded vigorously.

"Yes," she told him, breathless with mingled shock and fury. She turned and started to walk away from him.

"Casey." She turned back. "I can be a help or a hindrance to your career. You choose." Trembling, Casey gave him a last betrayed look before slipping out of the office and closing the door behind her. Breathing deeply and trying not to cry, she leaned against the door for a few moments. She thought she heard angry mutterings and papers being swept off of a desk on the other side.

Casey took several huge gulps of air, wiped her wet eyes, and took her seat again. Slowly, she lifted her fingers to her keyboard and, with a tremendous effort, went back to her work.


	10. Chapter 10

**A/N: **Okay, sorry for the delay. I've been having problems with my word processor and haven't been able to work on this at home at all, but I've got chapter 10 finished and uploaded now!

**phoebe p. - **It's prefectly fine that you found Lindsey Mary-Sueish, and I'm glad you said so, really. Those are the types of constructive criticism that I need! I wanted to make Lindsey a subtle opposition in Pieces because the main opposition was Casey's issues, and now that Casey has worked out her issues, Lindsey is the main opposition. But I always felt I made her _too_ subtle, so I'm glad you pointed it out. :)

And let me tell you, I cringed the entire time I was writing that encounter. It's not easy to let bad things happen to your characters!

Anyway, I hope you all enjoy this chapter. It wasn't an easy one to write, but I think it turned out well.

Picking Up

**Chapter Ten**

Casey remained a nervous wreck the rest of the day. Dave did not leave his office until after she left for lunch. When she returned, his car had gone and his office door was locked. He did not return before Casey left at five o'clock.

She drove home with her head in an angry fog. How _could_ he have done this? What in the world was she supposed to do now? She couldn't quit. She needed this job and it would look very bad on her resume to quit a job mere weeks after starting. She already had one of _those_ marring her record.

Perhaps now that she had made her opinion of his intentions clear, he would leave her alone. Had his threat been real? Had he been spouting empty words? She certainly believed he could be a hindrance to her career.

She barely noticed Derek and Lindsey seated on the couch when she walked through the front door. She walked right past without looking at them, her mind focused completely on her dilemma. She reached her bedroom and had almost closed the door when Lizzie joined her.

"What's wrong, Casey?" She asked. Casey jumped.

"I – nothing," she lied. Lizzie followed her into the room and closed the door.

"Casey, I'm not little kid anymore. I can tell when something is really bothering you. You don't have to shelter me from it; I want to help." Sighing, Casey sank down onto her bed.

"Oh, Liz," she moaned. "I don't know what to do." She told Lizzie everything that had happened from the first time Dave had made her feel uncomfortable. Lizzie listened quietly, her eyes widening when Casey repeated Dave's last words.

"Oh, Casey!" She said, hugging her. "I'm so sorry. I can't believe he did that."

"Me either. I mean, he was always very casual but I never thought he would actually make a move on me! What am I going to do?" Lizzie shook her head.

"I think you should quit. You shouldn't have to put up with that, Casey. It's disgusting how even today men still lord their power over women every chance they get." Casey stared at her.

"When did you become such an activist?" She teased. Lizzie shrugged.

"I just think it's wrong, that's all."

"So do I," Casey told her. "But I can't quit. I've only worked there for three weeks. That will look terrible on my resume." Lizzie stared at her.

"Casey, you can't keep working there! Forget your resume; this is a matter of principle." She looked thoroughly disappointed. "The Casey I know wouldn't take this lying down. Why aren't you turning him in for sexual harassment?"

"Lizzie, there's no one to turn him in _to_. He's the boss, it's his firm. He has a partner, but he can't do anything about it. There is nothing I can do except quit, and if I quit I'll ruin my resume."

"I-" Lizzie seemed lost for words. "Well, you do what you think is best." She hugged Casey again. "I'm sorry you have to deal with this."

Casey smiled. "Thanks, Liz." After Lizzie left, Casey lay back on her bed, staring at the ceiling. She lay there and stared until Marti knocked on her door to tell her dinner was ready. So consumed by her thoughts, Casey didn't even spare time to feel guilty for not helping prepare the meal.

By the time she reached the foot of the stairs, she'd made her decision. She would stay, but she would continue to make it clear to Dave that his advances were _not_ welcome. And if he persisted, _then_ she would quit. After all, everyone deserved a second chance, didn't they?

---

Tuesday morning, Casey sat in her car until the last possible second, avoiding walking through the front door as long as she could. When finally she knew she could wait no longer, she killed the engine and walked slowly to the door of the office complex. She entered the foyer cautiously, located the door that led to Dave's firm, and pushed it open.

She immediately spotted Holly sitting at the reception desk. She glanced up when Casey entered, gave a grim smile, and looked down. Slightly confused and a little surprised, Casey passed by without comment and entered her office. Dave's door stood wide open and he glanced through as she entered.

"You're late!" He barked at her. Casey jumped, her eyes flicking to the clock. It was barely five seconds past eight. "Don't look at the clock like you're contradicting me," he snapped. "Get to work; you're already wasting valuable time."

"I- I'm sorry," Casey gasped, hurrying to her seat. She turned on her computer and quickly typed her password as Dave came storming through the door.

"Why aren't you working yet?" He demanded. He looked at her screen. "You should leave your computer up overnight," he shot at her. "Why do you need a password? What are you hiding from me?" Casey stared at him, wide-eyed.

"N-nothing. I just th-thought that I should protect the firm's d-documents," she explained in a shaky voice.

"Then give me your password," he demanded. "I don't like you being able to hide things from me in my own office." Trembling, bewildered, and hurt, Casey reached for a notepad and wrote a single word. _Derek_.

Dave snatched it from her hands, read it, and then stomped away, slamming his office door behind him. Still terrified that he might come bursting out again, Casey quickly set her fingers to work and did not stop until lunch.

When the blessed hour finally came, after she'd been yelled at close to ten times, she picked up her purse and went to meet Holly, Ashley, and Steve as she usually did. Before she had gotten to the door, Dave appeared.

"I don't want you taking an hour long lunch," he informed her coldly. "I go to court next week on the Warner case and we have a lot of work to do. Half an hour is plenty of time to eat a meal."

Casey glanced through the door at Holly, who gave her a sympathetic look before leaving to join the others. Dave disappeared behind his closed door again, and, feeling thoroughly mistreated, Casey headed for the break room to scrounge up something to eat.

By four-thirty that afternoon, Casey makeup had rubbed off completely due to the frequent tears that had sprouted. She had never had a worse job experience in her life. Even at Smellie Nellie's she had only been reprimanded for things she had done wrong. Dave had yelled at her twenty five times in the last eight hours, and she felt she might break down at any moment.

Glad that at least the day was finally over, Casey packed her things, shut down her computer, and stood as Dave came out of his office. Casey backed away warily. Dave stared at her.

"Where are you going?" He demanded.

"I-" She cleared her throat. "It's four-thirty. I'm going home."

He advanced on her. "You don't get off until five," he said in a low voice. Casey nodded.

"Yes, sir, but I only took half a lunch today, remember?"

He glared at her. "Are you stupid or are you just pretending?" He snapped. Casey felt her eyes well again. "I asked you to take a half lunch because we have so much work to do. That means I need you to work _longer_ than usual today. Do you understand?" He spoke slowly and clearly, as though he thought her deaf or slow.

Casey nodded. "Yes, sir," she replied, taking her seat again. She turned her computer back on and Dave stood and watched, tapping his foot impatiently, as she typed her password and pulled up the document she had been working on when she had shut down.

When her fingers touched the keys to begin working again, Dave said, "It's now four-thirty-three, which means you've wasted three minutes. You can leave at five-oh-three." He turned to go back into his office, but glanced back over his shoulder. "In fact, I'll let you know when you can leave." He slammed his door behind him again.

Casey worked feverishly for the next thirty minutes. She kept glancing at the clock, praying it would move quickly so that she could go home and cry, but it seemed to tick in slow motion. At four-forty-five, Holly walked by her door, peeked in, and whispered, "Are you okay? Do you need a drink or anything?"

Casey shook her head. "Better not risk it," she whispered back so quietly she barely made any sound at all. Holly nodded and went back to her desk. At least it seemed she now had Holly's sympathy rather than derision, she thought to herself as she continued to work, checking the clock every few minutes.

Finally, the bottom-right corner of her screen read "5:03". She glanced at Dave's still-closed door, but he had not made a sound yet. She didn't dare leave without his approval. Holly looked in to say goodbye.

At ten after, Dave opened the door and turned out his light. When he saw Casey still seated at her desk, he glared at her. "I told you to leave at five-oh-three," he snapped. "What are you expecting, overtime pay?" Frantically, Casey shut down her computer and grabbed her already packed purse. She hurried out of the door in front of Dave, who stood and watched her go.

Once Casey had made it to the safety of her car, she burst into uncontrollable sobs. How could she stand another day of that? Yet she had no choice. She needed the job, and she would be hard-pressed to find another job in the same field of work if she pushed Dave past his breaking point.

Eventually her tears subsided and she managed to drive home. She reapplied a little of her makeup before going inside. She didn't want anyone, especially Lizzie, to think anything was wrong.


	11. Chapter 11

**A/N: **Okay, I am a terrible, mean person. I can't believe it's been nearly two weeks since I last updated. :( Sorry! So, since I'm such a jerk, I'm ging to upload two chapters to make up for it. :) So enjoy these next two chapters. I think 11 may be my favorite. Maybe. :D

Picking Up

**Chapter Eleven**

Wednesday and Thursday proved even worse than Tuesday. By Friday, Casey felt sure she had reached her limit. She decided that if she just _talked_ to Dave, he would ease up a little.

She spent all day Friday trying to work up the nerve to talk to him. Somehow, she could not manage it. Every time he walked by her desk, she barely had time to look up before he barked something at her, dispelling any courage she may have built. Every time he went into his office, he closed the door, and Casey knew better than to bother him while his door was closed.

Five o'clock came, leaving Casey defeated and ashamed of her cowardice. She left on the dot to avoid anymore scolding from Dave about trying to collect overtime pay.

She had planned to hang out with Noel that night, so she went home and changed into more comfortable clothes. He called her at six-thirty.

"Hey, Noel," she answered, unable to keep the depression out of her tone.

"Hey, Casey. Is everything okay?" She shook her head at his perceptiveness. At the moment, it was a bit of a nuisance for her.

"Yeah," she lied. "Are we watching a movie?" She asked.

"Sounds good to me," he replied. "I'll see you when you get here."

It took her less than twenty minutes to get to Noel's apartment. He greeted her at the door and they settled onto his couch. He had ordered Chinese food.

"This is wonderful," Casey said ten minutes later through a mouthful of sweet and sour chicken. "Thank you, this is exactly what I needed."

Noel smiled. "Are you admitting that everything _isn't_ okay?" He teased, but his eyes were serious. Casey shrugged.

"Work has just been… hard," she finished lamely. "Everything I do is wrong. I've been yelled at more times this week than in my entire working life. In my entire life, period, I think." Noel shook his head.

"Why don't you quit?"

"That's what Lizzie said," Casey admitted, "but I can't. I haven't even been there a month yet. And if he gives me a bad review to prospective employers, which he probably will if I don't start impressing him again soon, I can forget about working anywhere else." She couldn't tell Noel the full story, but he seemed to gather that she was in an impossible position.

"I guess you just have to decide what is more important," he mused, "your résumé or your dignity?" Casey didn't know what to say.

She got home later that night, around eleven. As she climbed the stairs, not paying attention to her surroundings, she walked right into someone.

"You want to watch where you're going?" Derek demanded in a low voice, rubbing his shoulder. Casey looked up, startled.

"Oh, sorry Derek," she said without malice. "I was just thinking." Derek shook his head.

"You do that too much already." She smiled slightly.

"I can't help it. Noel just gave me some stuff to think about." She stared off into space, not noticing the dark look that had taken over Derek's features.

"I'm sure he did," he snapped, bringing her sharply out of her fog.

"What's wrong with you?" She asked, taken aback.

"Nothing," he replied shortly. "Nothing at all. I'll just leave you to your thoughts about Noel." He started to walk down the stairs and she followed him.

"That's bothering you?" she asked, trying to keep the pleased note out of her voice. He glared at her.

"I told you, nothing is bothering me."

"Yeah, sure." She followed him into the kitchen. "Come on, Derek. Admit it."

He turned on her so fast that she nearly fell backward. "I just don't want to hear about your stupid date, okay?" He growled.

"Why would my being on a date bother you so much?" She pressed. She knew she should back off, but she couldn't. She had to make him admit he was jealous. He did not back down, but stood his ground in front of her.

"I don't like that Noel guy. Never did." Casey smirked.

"Right, I'm sure that's it." She turned to leave. "It shouldn't bother you at all. I mean, what would Lindsey think?"

He didn't answer.

---

Casey spent all weekend thinking about Noel's advice. Derek, she noticed, had reverted to ignoring her. She did not have the energy to spare for worrying about his attitude. She realized that she had not spent much time the past week trying to annoy him. She had been too wrapped up in her problems at work.

Monday dawned muggy and wet. Casey wondered momentarily as she dressed for work if the weather was trying to reflect her mood. _Or possibly Derek's mood_, she thought with a morose sigh. His attitude toward her had gotten steadily worse over the weekend. Sitting on the end of her bed with her head in her hands, she thought about the final decision she had come to while trying desperately to fall asleep the night before. She hoped she had made the right choice.

She arrived at work five minutes before eight and managed to get to her desk without any incidents. She had already logged in and started working when Dave arrived. He seemed surprised by her early start but unable to find anything to criticize. He stormed past her into the office.

Casey glanced at his calendar and saw that he was due in court at ten. Smiling to herself, she imagined how nice it would be to have him out of the office for a little while.

Dave came bursting back out of his office door. "Why are you smiling?" He demanded.

Raising her eyebrows, Casey said evenly, "I was just thinking of something nice." He narrowed his eyes at her, but seemed unsure of how to respond for a moment. He collected himself quickly.

"Why aren't the Warner case files ready?" He snapped at her. "I told you I needed them on my desk this morning!"

Ice cold fear swept over Casey so quickly and completely that she had to repress a shiver. She had completely forgotten about the case files! Her wide-eyed stare seemed to be all the answer he needed.

"I want them on my desk in twenty minutes," he told her in a dangerous tone. He disappeared back into his office and Casey jumped up as though she'd been stuck with a pin.

"I can't believe I forgot the stupid case files!" She moaned as she dug them out of the file cabinet and stacked them before carrying them over to her desk. She spread them out and set to work getting them ready. She finished in eighteen minutes, gathered them in her arms, and took a step toward Dave's door.

"CASEY!" He shouted. Casey jumped about ten feet in the air and dropped the papers on the ground.

"Oh, no!" She groaned, dropping to her knees and hurriedly trying to put them back in order. Dave came out to see the commotion.

"Are you kidding me?" He threw up his hands in frustration. "I don't know what to do with you anymore." He snatched the papers from her hands before she had even gotten to her feet. "This is going to make me late to the trial. Wonderful." He stalked back to his office, slamming the door so hard that the walls shook around the frame.

Unable to stand it any longer, Casey fled to the bathroom, past Holly, who said, "Casey…" in a feeble voice. Casey ignored her.

She locked herself in the bathroom and sank against the wall, burying her face in her hands. Her resolve was waning. She had promised herself the night before that she would stick it out and just do her best not to anger him, but that seemed an impossibility. So it came down to what Noel had said on Friday night: her dignity, or her career? Her sanity, or her future?

Whatever she decided, she could not hide here in the bathroom, bawling like a child. She would have to face it, either way, like an adult. She wiped her eyes and returned to her desk, noting that Holly's chair sat empty behind her desk.

Casey set to work, occasionally sniffing or brushing away a stray tear. She couldn't seem to stop them coming, but she impatiently erased the evidence they left on her cheek with the back of her hand. After awhile she realized with a jolt that her clock said nine-forty-five. Dave had not yet left for the trial, and it took at least twenty minutes to drive to the courthouse downtown.

As she thought this, the phone rang. Startled, Casey picked up the receiver, dropped, mentally cursed herself, picked it up again, and said, somewhat breathlessly, "Mr. Krueger's office, this is Casey. How may I help you?"

"You can put me through to my husband," answered a cheerful female voice that instantly made Casey smile. She pictured a kind, pretty face. Then, with a jolt, she realized who the woman must be. Dave was _married_?

"I- of course, Mrs. Krueger. Hold on just a moment."

"Please, call me Kristin," she insisted. "And thank you."

"Yes, ma'am. I mean Kristin," Casey amended hastily. She heard Kristin chuckle as she pressed the "hold" button.

Now Casey stood and faced Dave's door for several seconds, memorizing the lines in the carved wood. What should she do? He had always told her not to bother him while the door was closed. Yet surely he wanted to talk to his wife? Or perhaps not, considering his behavior. Or perhaps so, considering his behavior and that he may want to keep her fooled.

And then there was the fact that Dave should have left twenty minutes ago for his trial. What if something was wrong? Casey turned to ask Holly's advice, but her chair was vacated again. Now that she thought about it, Casey did not remember ever seeing her return.

Twisting her hands together, she decided that it was silly to stand here, staring at the door like a child afraid of the monsters in her closet. Raising a trembling hand, she curled her fingers into a fist and tapped lightly on the door.

No answer. Casey hesitated, waiting, too afraid to knock again. After several seconds passed, she knew she must. She rapped harder on the door. Still no answer.

Casey raised her fist for the third time and knocked so loudly that she could hear it reverberating around Dave's office. Yet there was still no other sound or movement coming from the room. And now Casey began to worry. What if something was wrong with Dave? What if he was inside, passed out or… worse? Should she go in even though he had not invited her?

Casey took a step back, sighed, and wrapped her hand around the door handle. Turning it, she slowly pushed the door open and stepped inside.

"Oh my god!" The words slipped out before Casey could stop them. Holly and Dave froze, staring wide-eyed at the intruder. Blushing furiously, Casey slammed the door shut and sank into her chair, trying desperately to erase the scene from her mind, but it was imprinted on her memory like a tattoo.

"Oh my god," she repeated, digging the palms of her hands into her eyes and blinking, while breathing deeply to calm her racing heart.

The door behind her banged open and Dave came storming out, buttoning his shirt. Holly hovered in the door way, still straightening her blouse and skirt. Casey shrank back in her chair as he advanced on her.

"What have I told you about that?" He shouted. "Never bother me when my door is closed!" He put a hand on either arm of her chair and leaned in, his face inches from hers. He shook the chair a little and Casey's elbow bumped painfully into the phone on the desk. "Is it just impossible for you to do anything right?" He snapped cruelly.

Suddenly, that feeling like anger filled the pit of Casey's stomach again and propelled her onto her feet. "How dare you!" She shot back. "You make inappropriate comments to me, put your hands on me in a way that is completely ill-befitting of a professional businessman, sexually proposition me, threaten me, treat me like dirt because I refused you, and now, NOW, you try to blame your many inadequacies on me because I dared to open your door?"

Dave's eyes narrowed furiously. "What did you just say to me?" He hissed, but Casey wasn't through.

"I have busted my butt for you, for this firm, for the past few weeks while you made me feel uncomfortable and uneasy and ridiculed me past the point of endurance, and still I stayed, hoping to prove to you that I could handle whatever you threw at me, that I wouldn't give up. So what, when I turned you down you went after Holly?" She glanced at the blonde girl. "How does it feel to be chosen second?" She asked maliciously. "Is it sexually satisfying enough that you can look past that?" Holly shook her head, tears brimming in her eyes.

"Whatever happens between Holly and I is none of your business," Dave told her. "You just do your job and keep your mouth shut, or you'll be collecting unemployment when I fire you."

Casey glared at him with all the contempt she could muster. "Oh, you won't have to worry about that," she assured him. "Because I quit. Go ahead and try to ruin my chances at getting another job. But I assure you, if you even try to interfere, I'll go to the bar and make sure you lose your license." For the first time, Dave looked a little frightened, and that filled Casey with the courage she needed to act on her threat.

Finally, Dave said in a low voice, "Fine. I'll play nice if anyone calls me for a reference. I'll even tell them you gave notice. How's that?" Casey nodded.

"Perfect," she replied smugly.

"And you won't go to the bar?" He added, his expression still worried.

"If you keep your word," Casey promised. "Otherwise, I'll make sure they know about everything."

Dave sighed angrily. "Fine. You don't tell them about any of this, and I won't hinder your career."

"Great," Casey shot back. "I would say we should shake on it, but I don't want to come near you." She grabbed her things and walked to the door. "By the way," she added as she reached the doorway, "your wife is on the phone." All of their eyes were drawn to Casey's desk, where the phone sat innocently, the speakerphone indicator brightly lit.


	12. Chapter 12

**A/N: **Enjoy. :)

Picking Up

**Chapter Twelve**

Casey went straight home and up to her bedroom, where she locked the door. Her hands shook violently from the encounter and even while she feared that Dave would not keep his promise, she also felt immensely proud of herself for standing up to him. Strangely, she did not shed a single tear. It seemed she had cried all she could over this. Instead, she felt empowered, exhausted, and a little lost and lonely. She wished Lizzie was home, but everyone was at work, except Marti, who was at a friend's house.

She heard footsteps coming up the stairs around lunch time and chanced a peek into the hallway. Derek came into view and she started to close the door, but he saw her and said, "Casey? What are you doing here?"

She shook her head. "Nothing. I just decided to come home for lunch. I guess you did, too?" He came closer, and she kept the door mostly closed as a buffer between them.

"Why are you so pale?" He asked. "Are you okay?" She nodded, smiling brightly.

"Of course," she lied. "Why wouldn't I be?" He eyed her suspiciously, and then shrugged.

"Fine, you don't want to tell me," he said. "That's your business, I guess." He looked so hurt that Casey couldn't help herself.

"I quit my job," she blurted out. He stared at her. "Dave is… well, he's a jerk. Worse than Andrew. I couldn't take it anymore."

Derek continued to look surprised and a little betrayed. "I thought you were going to work there through law school," he said slowly.

"I was," Casey said, feeling confused by his accusatory tone. She wished she could tell him the full story, but she couldn't. Not until she had talked to George, at least. "But you should have heard him Derek. Even when I did exactly what he told me to, it was wrong. I couldn't win." She could feel tears welling again and before she knew it, Derek's arms closed around her, hugging her. She buried her face in his shoulder and let the tears flow.

When she finished crying, Derek released her and stepped back, his eyes sad.

"Listen," Casey said, "don't tell anyone, okay? I want to tell them tonight at dinner."

He nodded. "Well, I should head back to work," he said in a quiet voice. He touched her arm and then turned away. "Umm, good luck, I guess."

Casey assumed he meant finding a new job, but it seemed an odd thing to say. "Thanks?" she replied, unsure. Derek didn't respond.

When George got home that night, Casey wanted to give him a little time to settle in before ambushing him, but she wanted to talk to him before dinner, so she waited until she'd seen him go downstairs and followed.

"George?" She stood in the doorway of their bedroom. He was pulling off his shoes. "Can I talk to you for a second?" He nodded.

"Sure, come on in." She closed the door and sat next to him. "What's going on?"

"It's about Dave," she said. He looked surprised. "I- uh, I know Dave is your friend, so I don't really know how to say this."

"He's not the greatest boss, I'm guessing," George finished. "I've heard he can be a little dictatorial." Casey grimaced.

"I- it's not just that," she said. "I- he-" she couldn't seem to get the words out. George seemed to read something of the truth in her face.

"Casey, what's going on?" He asked sternly. "What happened?"

Casey took a deep breath. "He sort of, well… hit on me," she finished in a rush. George shot to his feet.

"That-" Casey stood and grabbed his arm.

"It's okay," she said. "I took care of it. And I quit." George looked furious.

"I'll have his license," he snapped.

"Don't," Casey pleaded. "I'm already holding that over him. That's our agreement; as long as he doesn't make trouble for me, I'll leave his license alone." George deflated slightly, but he did not look satisfied.

"I don't know if that's a good idea, Case," he said worriedly. "That could be considered blackmail."

"Considering he tried to blackmail me first," Casey replied, "I don't think he'll use that argument. Really, George, I've got it covered. The only thing is, now I need a new job." George looked at her in amusement.

"I'll see what I can do, but I'm not sure you want to trust me anymore," he joked, but guilt showed on his features.

"It's not your fault, George," Casey said automatically. "You did a great thing for me. I learned how to stand up for myself."

"Maybe I can find you a job in my office," he said musingly. "At least I know there are no sleazes there."

Casey knew that no matter what she said, George would always feel responsible for putting her in Dave's office. She patted his arm and said, "Thank you, George. For everything." They hugged and Casey left the room.

---

At dinner that night, Casey explained to everyone that she had quit her job. Nora looked thoroughly disappointed.

"Sweetheart, are you sure that was best? I know sometimes it can be hard to have a strict boss, but-" George cut her off.

"Nora, don't lecture her. She-"

Lizzie kicked Casey under the table. "Casey, what about law school?" Casey opened her mouth to reply, but George hit the table with his fist. His fork went flying, sending a shower of rice over everyone.

"Casey did what she thought was best under the circumstances. I don't want to hear anyone else badgering about it? Understand?" Marti, Lizzie, and Edwin nodded, their expressions shocked and confused. Nora had a sharp, inquisitive look as she stared at George.

Casey couldn't help but let her gaze move to Derek, but he said nothing, nor did he glance up from his plate. After several seconds of stunned silence, where everyone but Casey and Derek stared at George, Derek stared at his plate, and Casey stared at Derek, the latter looked up at the general assembly (still avoiding Casey's eye) and said, "Well, thanks for dinner, but I've got to go upstairs and start packing. They said I can move back into my apartment on Saturday."

Casey froze. "I thought they said it would be another two weeks," Lizzie protested. Derek shrugged.

"It took less time than they thought, I guess." He disappeared up the stairs and Lizzie and Casey exchanged horrified looks. Casey couldn't believe that he would be gone in four days.

She spent the entire week looking for a new job. After three interviews, she began to wonder if Dave had reneged on his promise, but she thought it might have more to do with that two week blemish on her record. She began to regret her decision to quit.

"Still at it?" She glanced up from her position in Derek's chair where she was perusing the want ads in the paper to see the aforementioned owner of said chair standing over her.

"Sorry," she said quickly. "I'll get up." He stared at her, smiling slightly.

"I didn't ask you to," he replied. "How's the job hunt going?" She couldn't figure why he was being nice to her after his reaction Monday, but she relished it anyway.

"Awful," she admitted. "I know I should have stuck it out-"

"No, you shouldn't have. If that Dave guy was worse than Andrew, well, I don't know how you stuck it out for as long as you did." He collapsed onto the couch and turned the TV on. "Don't sweat it, Case," he assured her. "You'll find something. With your brains and skills, anyone would be stupid not to hire you."

Confused but pleased at his change of heart toward her, Casey smiled and went back to her paper.

---

"Doesn't Derek know he can't have a private conversation in this house?" The whisper caught Casey's ear as she lay on her bed reading the want ads again Thursday night. She left the paper on her bed to go investigate. Lizzie and Edwin were leaning over the banister, looking down toward the bottom of the stairs.

"I appreciate your concern, but it's really none of your business." Derek's voice, angry and offended, floated up to them from the front hall.

"It's my business if I make it my business," snapped a female voice that Casey didn't recognize. Her tone matched Derek's very well. "The fact that you're continuing to live here is a huge problem."

"And why is that?" Derek demanded icily. Casey could hear the strain in his voice.

"You know damn well, Derek. You're sleeping in the same house as her."

"Okay, that's enough eavesdropping for today," Casey whispered fiercely, grabbing Liz and Ed's shoulders and steering them to their respective rooms. Neither of them protested, and Casey thought she noticed them giving her sympathetic looks as she turned away.

Once she was sure she'd heard both of their doors close, she hurried back to the stairs and leaned over the banister.

"I can't believe you just implied that," she caught Derek saying. "I wouldn't do that to Lindsey."

"You already have, remember?" Casey gasped, slapping her hand over her mouth and hoping they hadn't heard her.

"That was a mistake," Derek shot back, and Casey relaxed. "It won't happen again."

"Sure it won't," the girl retorted. "Until you realize that you're not over Casey and Casey realizes that she's not over you."

"That's not going to happen," Derek snapped loudly. "And I think it's pretty ballsy of you to accuse me without proof."

"I'm just looking out for Lindsey. She's my best friend." Understanding dawned and Casey leaned over a little further to get a glimpse of the infamous Amy. She looked, Casey thought, a heck of a lot like Lindsey. A little more height, darker hair and chubbier cheeks distinguished them, but the resemblance made Casey snort in quiet disgust.

"She's my girlfriend," Derek shot back.

"For now," was Amy's retort. "All it takes is one moment of weakness, Derek. I know you're pretty good at those. I'm not going to stand back and watch you crush Lindsey again. It killed her, and I won't let you put her through that again."

"I have absolutely no intention of doing that," Derek replied, his voice even, but even Casey could sense the carefully restrained fury.

"You'd better not. I swear, if you hurt her-" she seemed to realize that she was pushing her luck, because she stopped talking and turned on her heel, slamming the front door behind her.

---

"What did she mean by that?" Lizzie looked up from her sports magazine.

"What do who mean by what?" She asked innocently. Casey sat gingerly on the edge of the bed.

"Come on, Liz, I saw you trying to sneak your door closed. I know you were listening." Lizzie smiled sheepishly.

"Okay, okay. I'm sorry."

"What did Derek do to Lindsey?"

Lizzie hesitated. "I don't know." She looked incredibly uncomfortable and Casey raised an eyebrow.

"Are you sure?" She asked in a would-be casual voice. Lizzie didn't reply and Casey sighed. "Liz, please. I'd rather hear it from you than anyone else. What did he do to Lindsey that was so bad?" She fixed her little sister with a pleading gaze, and even at eighteen, Lizzie was not proof against it. She sighed heavily.

"He cheated on her, Casey."

"With who?" Lizzie looked away, but Casey clucked her tongue impatiently. "Lizzie."

Her sister turned to face her, eyes sad. "Victoria."


	13. Chapter 13

**A/N: **Since I made you guys wait so long, here's another chapter. I've actually almost finished the story. I hope you all really like it. I've worked a lot harder on this one than _Pieces_, mostly because _Pieces_ just came easily to me and this one took a little more muse.  But I'm really proud of it.

And I want to thank everyone again for all the reviews. I luvs them. :D

Picking Up

**Chapter Thirteen**

Casey didn't talk to anyone the rest of that night. She stayed in her room, skipping dinner. She kept the door locked and refused to answer when anyone knocked. Lizzie came up once, but gave up rather quickly, presumably because she knew the reason for Casey's wallowing. Nora tried a few times, even bribed with food, but finally left Casey alone around nine o' clock.

Once Derek realized she was barricaded in her room, he came banging on the door. "Casey, open the door," he called. She said nothing, merely turning another page in the book she was reading. "Casey, come on," he said, sounding worried. "At least make a sound so I know you're not passed out in there or something." She tried not to let it affect her that he seemed to care so much. She really tried. "I mean it, Casey. I'll break the door down."

Furious, she shouted, "Go away!" He seemed satisfied, because he left. Or at least she thought. Thirty minutes later, he knocked again.

"Casey, would you just let me talk to you? Whatever's wrong, I'm sure you'd feel better if you talked to someone."

"Definitely not you," she shot back, forgetting to ignore him.

"What did I do _now_?" He demanded. "Come on, Casey, it's not fair to be mad at me without telling me why!" Suddenly on the verge of tears again, Casey turned over to face the door.

"Don't talk to me about fair!" She took a deep breath and composed herself. "Just go away, please. I don't want to talk to anyone. I just want to be alone."

Silence. He had finally left her alone. Turning off her lamp, Casey rolled over and went to sleep.

It was still dark when Casey awoke, but thanks to a vivid dream that she desperately wanted to forget she could not fall back asleep. Climbing out of bed, she opened the door and received a shock: Derek sat slumped against the wall in front of her door, fast asleep. She stepped gingerly over him and padded across the hallway to the bathroom. When she came out, Derek still slept in front of her door. Feeling choked up with mixed feelings and tears, she turned away from the sight and tiptoed down the stairs. Thankfully, she found the living room and kitchen both empty.

The clock in the kitchen read four a.m., but Casey knew she wouldn't be sleeping anymore that night. Opening the freezer, she pulled out a carton of ice cream and sat at the kitchen island, digging in with a large spoon. She tried to think about anything she could to forget her dream. Oddly, she was reminded of similar dreams she'd had in high school, about Truman. Except in this dream, every time she would come close to kissing Derek, she turned into Icky Vicky, who laughed evilly and kissed him instead. And Derek would just look at her, the way he had her first night back, as though he couldn't stand the sight of her.

She'd been having dreams about Derek since the first time he kissed her. It was a repeat of that day, their last moments together before she ran away to England. He told her how he felt and kissed her. But in her dream, she stayed. In her dream, she didn't run away and ruin everything. The dream always left her guilty and regretful, unable to sleep. It crept up on her at the worst times, like when she had a midterm the next morning or when Josh was sleeping over.

Crossing her arms over the tile counter, Casey laid her head down and sighed. She only had herself to blame, she knew. She could kick herself for leaving, but she knew that, at the time, she had been unreasonable and, well, afraid. Afraid of her feelings for someone who was supposed to be family. Afraid of how their parents, their siblings, and their friends would react. Afraid of Derek's feelings for her. Afraid that if she made one wrong step, everything would come crashing down.

"Casey?" A whispered voice shook her out of her reverie. Her mother joined her, large spoon in hand. "Why didn't you tell me you were having a wallow-fest?" She teased softly. Casey attempted a smile.

"It's not a wallow-fest," she protested. "I was just hungry." Nora raised one eyebrow.

"Uh-huh. I know a wallow-fest when I see one. I became a wallow-fest expert after your father and I divorced." Casey took a bite and then turned to her mother.

"Mom, why did you marry dad?" Nora seemed taken back by the question, but she recovered quickly.

"Why do you ask?" She evaded. Casey knew it was a hard subject, but she wanted to hear the truth.

"I just want to know," she replied. Nora sighed.

"All right. I loved your father. It wasn't fairytale, mushy love, but I cared deeply for him. But I think the main reason was that everything just fit, you know? We were at the same place in our lives, we had similar goals and dreams, and he was a caring, well-adjusted man. It was just the right thing to do."

"Or so you thought," Casey interrupted. "I mean, you guys are divorced now."

Nora smiled sadly. "Yes, but it was still the right thing to do. Everything happens for a reason, Casey. If I hadn't married your father, I wouldn't have you and Lizzie, and you girls mean everything to me."

Casey paused, unsure if she should push for more information. Sooner or later she would have to reveal her reasoning for the questions, but the harder she pushed, the sooner she would have to reveal.

"So, what was different about George?" She asked. Nora smiled again, but it was a happier smile.

"Oh, everything. George is just… well, George. I can't explain what it was that made me fall in love with him. But I know that I loved him enough to overcome the odds that were stacked against us."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, besides the fact that I lived in Toronto, and George lived here in London, or the fact that we both had established careers and families that we would have to merge, we are also very different people, and I think that's what drew me to him. We complete each other in a way that your father and I could never have accomplished because we were so alike." Casey could feel tears sprouting again. "Casey, what's wrong?"

"Mom, I need to tell you something." Nora scooted her stool closer and leaned in.

"What is it, honey? You know you can talk to me about anything." Casey wiped away a tear.

"Well, while I was in England, I dated this guy, Josh. He's fun and sweet and I really like him."

"He sounds wonderful, Casey."

"He is." She bit her lip.

"Then why are you crying?"

"Because he proposed." Nora looked stunned. Several seconds passed before she answered.

"Oh my goodness," she said. "What did you say?" A door shut upstairs, startling Casey. She assumed Derek had realized she was gone and left his sentinel.

"I didn't say anything. I didn't know what to say. But I think I do now. I think he's dad. He's safe and reliable and fits, you know, except that we live on different continents. But I don't think he's right for me. I- I don't think I love him."

"Casey, I've always hoped that you and Lizzie would learn from my mistakes, but I don't know that marrying your father _was_ a mistake. At the time, it was the right thing for both of us. That changed over time. And sometimes that happens." Casey stared at her, more confused than ever.

"So you think I should say yes?" Nora shook her head.

"I think you should do what makes you happy. Marrying your father made me happy. That was the most important thing. If marrying this boy doesn't make you happy, you shouldn't do it."

Casey sighed. "I wish I could love him, but I just don't. Things would be so much easier if I loved him and not-" She broke off, seeing that her mother was watching her eagerly. "-not my life in Ontario," she finished nervously.

She could tell her mother didn't believe her, but Nora did not argue. Instead, she said, "You can't always take the safe road in life, Casey. I know it's not in your nature to take risks, but that's what life is about. Sometimes you have to just put yourself out there. Sometimes you get run over. But sometimes you get everything you hoped for. And those are the times that make it all worth it."


	14. Chapter 14

**A/N: **Sorry, guys, I know it's been forever since I've updated. I've been really swamped! :( But I think you'll feel better after you read this chapter. :) THanks once again for all of the wonderful reviews!! Happy reading!

Picking Up

**Chapter Fourteen**

Casey expected Derek to ambush her the next morning and demand to talk, but he did not. She talked with her mother until close to seven a.m., when George stumbled upstairs looking for her.

"Sorry, Case, I would love to keep talking," Nora said, "but I need to start getting ready for work." Casey nodded.

"No, it's fine. Thanks for everything, mom." Casey went upstairs to change. Derek came out of his room, glared at her, and shut himself in the bathroom. Bewildered, Casey threw on a pair of jeans and a blouse. When she came out of her room, the bathroom door was still shut.

Still confused, Casey went down the stairs and met George in the kitchen. She poured a cup of coffee and sat drinking it as George ate his breakfast.

"How's the job hunt going?" He asked her. She wrinkled her nose. "That good, huh?"

"I've had three interviews this week," Casey said in frustration. "What am I doing wrong?"

George shook his head. "You were stuck in a bad situation Casey, and you did what you had to do to get out. You did nothing wrong. You'll find something." He dumped his cereal bowl into the sink.

"I wish I could find something soon," Casey replied.

"I'll tell you what," George said, laying his hand on her shoulder. "I'll talk to my boss and see if we have anything available at our office. It won't be anything glamorous, but we might have a mail room position or something like that. It would at least get you a job at a law firm and then you can work your way up." Casey smiled wryly, although the idea did not sound very appealing to her.

"Thanks, George. I appreciate that." George nodded and left through the back door.

"You're seriously going to work for my dad?" She whipped around to see Derek standing in the doorway. "I thought you were going to leave again, you know, since you quit your job." The comment stung, but Casey held her ground, uncertain as to why Derek was attacking her.

"I never said I was leaving," she replied evenly. "Besides, where would I go?"

"I don't know," he snapped. "Anywhere but here. How about back to England? Or to New York with your dad?"

"I never said I was going to do that internship. My dad just offered in passing. But I don't want to go to New York. I want to stay here." Derek rolled his eyes.

"Oh, so _now_ you want to stay?" He looked somewhere between furious and devastated. "Are you sure? I mean, New York's not that far away, but it could be a good place to hide when someone admits their feelings."

Casey stared at him, bewildered. "Derek, what are you talking about?"

"Forget it," he said, turning to leave. "I hope you and Noel live happily ever after." He stomped out of the room. Stunned, Casey dumped out her coffee mug and went to her room.

Casey figured it would take George a few days to find something, but he called her just after lunchtime.

"I have good news. Mr. Bresnuskovich mentioned that he wants to hire an office manager. Do you think you could do that?"

Casey squealed excitedly. "That would be perfect, George, thank you! When can I come for an interview?"

"He said he can meet with you today, if you're available," George told her.

"Definitely! What time should I be there?" Casey was already going through her closet, searching for an outfit.

"I think two o'clock should be a good time," he replied.

"I'll be there." Casey dressed as quickly as possible in her best clothes and pulled her hair back into a low bun. She hoped that Mr. Bresnuskovich wouldn't remember how she had accused him of being Derek prank-calling her with a fake accent and a fake name. _How was I supposed to know?_ She demanded of herself. _It's totally something Derek would do!_

As she rushed down the stairs, her phone rang.

"Hey Noel!"

"Hey Casey," he replied. "Are you busy today? I thought maybe we could hang out."

"Oh, I can't, I'm on my way to a job interview."

"Well, how about tonight?" He asked. She shrugged.

"Tonight sounds fine," she told him.

"Great! I thought maybe we could rent a movie. Anything in particular you want to see?"

She tried to think about it but her head was full of thoughts about her interview. "Oh, I don't know," she replied distractedly. "Let me call you after the interview."

"Okay." She walked past Derek without a word. She had tried to talk to him a few times, but he hadn't said a single word to her since their encounter in the kitchen that morning. He glared at her but didn't speak as she walked out the door.

She fumed on her way to George's office. What was his problem? Shouldn't she be the angry one? She might be "dating" Noel in Derek's eyes, but Noel wasn't Derek's _cousin_! Yes, she was the one who had a right to be upset, not Derek.

By the time she reached the office, she had convinced herself into furious anger. Taking a deep breath, she said, "Stop thinking about Derek. You need to focus here. Go in there and rock this interview!" She smiled brightly at her own words of encouragement, marching into the building.

"Casey!" George said when he saw her coming down the hallway. "Come in here." He let her into his office. "I feel like I should warn you," he told her in a low voice, "Mr. Bresnuskovich is kind of, well, overbearing. I just don't want him to overwhelm you."

Casey shook her head. "Thanks, George, but I can handle it. I'll be fine." George shrugged.

"Well, good luck," he offered, and she thanked him. He showed her his boss's office and she tapped lightly on the door.

"Come in, come in!" A loud, booming voice filtered through the door and Casey pushed it open. Mr. Bresnuskovich, a large bald man with a stern face but kind eyes, sat behind his desk. He stood to shake her hand, which she did as firmly as possible considering her hands were half the size of his. Gesturing to one of the chairs, he said, "Take a seat, please." She sat and smiled at him expectantly.

"Miss McDonald, your stepfather has told me much about you." She continued smiling, hoping there were no embarrassing stories there. "I admit, I am impressed." She brightened.

"Thank you, sir." He waved his hand.

"I am looking for someone with good people skills, Miss McDonald, and someone who is very organized."

"I am both of those, sir," Casey replied.

"Yes, George told me that you organized his files." Casey cringed, wanting to kick George. Why would he mention that? "He was not happy at first, but he says that it has helped him immensely. I must agree." Casey straightened and beamed.

"I'm just happy to help," she told him. He nodded.

"Good. Because that is what I need. If you can organize my office as well as you did George's, then you have the job." She stared at him.

"Really?" He nodded. "Oh, thank you, Mr. Bresnuskovich! Thank you so much." He stood and came around the desk, his hand outstretched, but she was so ecstatic at finally finding a job that she hugged him. Embarrassed, she pulled back. "Sorry," she said quickly.

Mr. Bresnuskovich just smiled. "I'll see you at eight a.m. Monday morning," he said, and she nodded quickly, trying not to blush.

He let her out and she hurried down the hall to George's office. George was waiting anxiously inside. "How did it go?" He asked as soon as she walked in. She winced.

"I hugged him," she admitted, and George laughed. "It's not funny! He told me I can have the job and I got really excited… ugh. Anyway, he said I start Monday morning!"

"That's great, Casey!" George said happily. "Well, I have to get back to my briefs, but I'll see you at dinner?"

Casey shook her head. "I'm going to Noel's. But we could ride together Monday," she offered, and George nodded.

---

Casey walked through the front door twenty minutes later, dialing Noel. The house was empty, thankfully; Derek's car was gone, Nora was at work, Marti was at a friend's house, and Lizzie and Edwin were working.

"Hey, Casey!" He answered happily. "How was the interview?"

"Great!" She replied, as she ran up the stairs. "I start next week!"

"That's awesome! I'm really happy for you." She grinned, quickly changing her clothes.

"Thanks! Me, too." She pulled on her shoes. "Well, I'm leaving in a few minutes. I'll meet you at your place?" She asked as she reached the top landing.

"Sure," he replied. "See you in a bit." She had intended to head down to the kitchen, but someone else was coming up the stairs.

"Where are you going?" Derek demanded. She glared at him.

"To meet Noel, not that it's any of your business. Now I wish I'd left earlier."

He glared at her. "Yeah, well now I wish I hadn't come back."

"Join the club. Why are you here?" She said, trying hard and failing to keep the bite out of her voice.

"I forgot something," he replied shortly.

"Well, what a surprise," she said sarcastically. "Hopefully you can be so kind as to forget I'm here and leave me alone." She started to pass him by him.

"No problem."

"Good." He turned around, his eyes blazing.

"I just don't get it. How can _you_ be mad at me?" He demanded, his voice rising. "None of this is _my _fault, Casey. You're the one who ran away. You're the one who stayed away for almost three years. Besides, you've got what's his name. I'm sure you would be very happy together."

"And I suppose you think you're just a saint? You're the one who couldn't stay away from Victoria!" She shot back. He paled. "Did you sleep with her?" She demanded. Derek didn't answer. "Figures."

"How do you know about that?"

"You don't deserve an answer." She turned away.

"What do you want me to say? We ran into each other at a party. God, Casey, she's practically your twin! I got drunk; I wasn't thinking clearly. Do you have any idea what I've been going through since you left?"

"Girls, apparently," she retorted over her shoulder. Immediately she regretted the words. Derek grabbed her arm and spun her around, pushing her against the wall. "Let go!" She snapped, trying to twist out of his grip, but he pinned her there, his face inches from hers.

"I didn't sleep for weeks," he bit out. "Lizzie gave me the silent treatment for months. Every time I looked at another girl, I saw you. I knew you weren't coming back, but somehow I just couldn't let go. I couldn't eat…"

He paused to take a breath and she opened her mouth, but closed it again as he went on, "It was hell, Casey. Pure. Hell. All I could think was, 'what did I do wrong? What could I have done to make her stay?' And then I realized: it wasn't me. It was you." By now, he had released her and was waving his arms in the air frantically. She took the opportunity to rub the now sore spot on her arm. "You would think that would make me feel better, but it didn't. Because I realized that there was _nothing_ I could do. You weren't coming back, and _there was nothing I could do about it_!" He finished at a yell. Casey thanked heaven that the house was empty. "You have no idea what that's like," he growled, his voice low and dangerous as he grabbed her arm again, but his words sparked something in Casey, something that caused her to throw him off and point a finger at herself.

"_I_ have no idea what that's like?" She shrieked, her voice squeaky and nearly hysterical. "_I_ have NO idea what that's like?!" Derek backed up a step as she advanced on him. "Do YOU have any idea what I've been going through since I MET you?" She yelled, and Derek's eyes went wide. "Do you have any idea what it was like for ME, waiting and praying that you would realize what I've known since we were FIFTEEN?"

Something changed in Derek's expression. "Casey-"

She didn't give him a chance to finish. "Do you know what my _first_ thought about you was? You know, when I thought you were RALPH?"

"This guy is an arrogant jerk?" Derek joked weakly. Casey ignored this.

"I thought, 'wow, my new stepbrother has REALLY HOT FRIENDS!'" She shouted the last three words. "I thought you were _sexy_. _SEXY_! And then I found out that _you_ were actually going to be my new stepbrother! I was _so_ embarrassed." She started to pace back and forth, not seeing the amused gaze on Derek's face. "All I wanted was for you to think I was as cool as you. I tried so hard to gain your approval, but the harder I tried, the more you seemed to hate me. And then there were those wonderful, amazing, agonizing moments when you seemed to actually respect me, maybe even care about me. And I would bask in those moments, Derek. _Bask_. And then they'd be gone, just like that, and you were back to hating me again."

"Casey, please-" he reached toward her, but she pulled away.

"Everything I did was to prove something to you," she said in a quiet voice, now looking directly at him. "Every thought was about you. Every dream…" she trailed off.

His expression was so tender that she hardly recognized him as the Derek she knew, or knew as of recently. She could feel his gaze burning her skin, and she started to blush. Those same familiar feelings bubbled in her stomach, rising into her throat, and suddenly, she felt like crying. She couldn't take it anymore.

"Just go away, Derek. I don't want to talk anymore," she whispered in a pained voice, staring at the floor. He touched her arm and she jerked back. "I mean it."

"Casey, please just listen to me. I'm sorry things turned out this way. I'm sorry I scared you away and I'm sorry that you stayed away so long. I'm sorry I made you think I hated you when it was all I could do to keep from kissing you. I'm sorry about Victoria." She continued to examine her feet. "If I say I'm sorry enough times will you at least _look_ at me?" She shook her head, tears welling again.

"I'm sorry," she replied. "I'm sorry I ran away from you and I'm sorry I didn't come back for so long. I'm sorry I hurt you." Derek's fingertips were gentle as they touched her face, pulling her chin up to look at him. "If I say I'm sorry enough times, maybe I'll be able to look at you," she said, her voice cracking.

"Casey-" He never finished his sentence, because in a moment of desperation, a moment of insanity and desire and just plain recklessness, she kissed him.

She pulled away quickly, embarrassed and regretful. She turned to leave, unable to look him in the eyes, but he caught her arm and pulled her back around to him, crashing his lips against hers.

That made three total kisses for them, ever, but somehow it felt so right, so natural, that Casey forgot everything else. She forget everyone else, including her family, who could come home any minute, and Lindsey, who was waiting for Derek to pick her up, and Noel, who was waiting for Casey at his apartment.

Derek's hands went around her waist and pulled her closer. She slid her arms around his neck, letting her fingers tangle in his hair. The next thing she knew, they were moving, out of the hallway and into Derek's room. Derek kicked the door closed and slowly lowered her onto the bed.


	15. Chapter 15

**A/N:** Don't hate me. Thanks again for all the reviews. :)

Picking Up

**Chapter Fifteen**

There was music. It sounded familiar but Casey couldn't put her finger on where she'd heard it before. She was trapped in some sort of mental limbo, halfway between delirious with happiness and befuddled by sleep.

Slowly, Casey's mind began to awake and she recognized the tune as her phone, coming to her through some sort of fog. Noel's ringtone. They were supposed to meet. But when? What time was it? And where was she? Her brain seemed to be working in slow motion.

And then it all hit her like a ton of bricks. She was in a bed. Derek's bed. With Derek.

She sat up quickly, Derek's arm falling from around her waist. "Oh my god," she whispered.

"Wha's wrong?" Derek mumbled, opening one eye. Embarrassed, she wrapped the sheet around her and stood up. The clock on the bedside table read **5:00**. She stood, keeping the sheet around her, which she knew was stupid and futile. Obviously he had already seen – already seen her…

A sob fought its way out as she began to think of all the repercussions of what they had just done. Derek shot to his feet. "Casey," he said slowly. "Calm down."

All she could think of was the first time he'd said that to her, when they were locked in the bathroom together mere weeks after the McDonalds had moved in. How she'd sprayed him with shaving cream and he had fought back with shampoo. How they had, for the first time, had a deep conversation. How he had confided in her and, dare she believe, flirted with her.

"Calm down?" She whispered, her voice echoing slightly in the mostly empty room. "_Calm down_?" She could feel her body begin to tremble. Derek crossed the room swiftly and wrapped his arms around her, sheet and all. She buried her face in his shoulder and sobbed, and he gently rubbed her back.

"Casey, it's okay. It's okay," he kept repeating. When she found her voice again, she whispered, "What about Lindsey?"

Before Derek could answer, a voice called, "Hello? Derek, are you here?"

Derek froze. Casey could feel every muscle in his body tense. Before she could say anything, he sprang into action, vaulting over the bed and pulling on his jeans. Casey didn't know what else to do, so she quickly ducked behind the boxes stacked against the wall that Derek had been packing all week, peering between two of them.

"Derek?" The voice was in the hall. Derek yanked his shirt on over his head. He had just finished mussing his hair to perfection when the door opened and Lindsey stepped inside. Casey could feel silent tears streaming down her cheeks, but she managed not to make any noise.

"Hey, Lindsey," he said, running a hand through his hair. She stared at him.

"I've been waiting for you for an hour!"

"I –uh – I fell asleep," he replied, indicating the messy bed. Casey shook her head in disgust. _Way to point her directly to the scene of the crime, Derek_!

"Uh-huh," she said. "Where's Casey? I didn't see her in her room." Casey nearly gasped, clapping her own hand over her mouth to stifle the sound.

"What do you mean?" Derek asked nervously. "She went to meet a friend."

"Her car is still here."

"Maybe he picked her up?" At that moment, the absolute worst moment possible, Casey's phone rang again. The sound was coming from Casey's room, which explained why it sounded so far away.

Casey watched as Derek and Lindsey stared at each other for several seconds. Then, at the same instant, they both sprinted for the phone.

Casey seized her opportunity. She grabbed her clothes from the floor and threw them on as quickly as was humanly possible, and then climbed out of Derek's window and down the tree to the backyard. She came around through the back door and wondered how she was going to explain things to Lindsey.

Seeing the still half full coffee pot from that morning, she hesitated, and then splashed the coffee onto her shirt and pants, praying that the stain would come out later. She had just entered the living room when Derek and Lindsey came down the stairs, arguing.

"You said he picked her up!"

"Maybe another friend did?" Derek tried futilely. Casey's phone was clutched tightly in Lindsey's hand.

"There it is!" Casey said brightly, snatching the phone away from her. Lindsey stared at her.

"What happened to you?" Derek asked, his eyes begging her to give a good explanation. Casey shrugged, hoping to pull off a nonchalant attitude.

"Well, I got halfway there before I spilled coffee all over myself. So I had to drive back, which is probably good anyway, seeing as I forgot my phone. Excuse me, I need to call Noel and explain before he thinks I've been in a car accident or something." She turned away and bounded up the stairs, flipping her phone open. There were three missed calls and two texts from Noel that said "Where R U?" and "Im getting worried".

"Hello?" Noel's voice, tense and strained, came over the line.

"Hey, Noel," she said, trying to keep her voice cheerful. "I'm so so sorry." She explained the fake story to him. "I'm such a klutz," she finished with a laugh that sounded fake, even to her own ears.

"I'm just glad you're okay," he replied, and Casey was relieved to hear no suspicion in his voice. "Man, I thought… I don't know, but it wasn't good." She smiled.

"Aw, Noel, you're such a sweetheart." She could almost see him blushing. "So, do you still want to hang out or did I miss my window of opportunity?" She asked jokingly.

"Of course I do. Your window of opportunity never closes."

"All right, well, let me change and then I'll head that way."

"Cool." She hung up and Derek came into her room.

"You're still going to Noel's?" He asked incredulously.

She stared at him. "I have to, we had plans. He'll suspect something if I don't go." Secretly, she didn't want to. She hoped Derek would kick Lindsey out and beg her to stay.

Derek looked upset. "Yeah, I guess Lindsey would think the same thing," he said shortly. "She _is_ my girlfriend, after all."

"What?" Casey couldn't believe her ears. "You mean _was_, don't you?" Derek shook his head.

"Uh, no. I said _is_."

Casey felt tears springing to her eyes and blinked them back. "Y-you're going to stay with her?" She asked, wanting to die right then and there. "After what just happened?" Derek shrugged.

"Why shouldn't I? I mean, I've got Lindsey and you've got what's his name. It didn't mean anything anyway, did it?" If Casey hadn't been so devastated herself, she would have realized that Derek was on the verge of tears.

She glared at him. "I guess not. Have fun with Lindsey." She walked to her doorway, but looked back over her shoulder. "Don't wait up," she told him meanly. As soon as she was out of his sight, she let the tears fall.

---

Edwin Venturi was a very observant young man. He had noticed the frequent changes in attitude between Casey and Derek since her return. One day they were nice and friendly, the next day they acted as though they hated each other.

Edwin Venturi was also a very smart young man. He knew that these changes in attitude were not random. They must have been the result of something. For example, when Derek had moved back in for this brief period, he had suddenly started treating Casey politely. This, Edwin knew, was part of Derek's "Don't let her get to you" plan. When Edwin told Casey this, he noticed that she immediately started doing everything in her power to aggravate him. This, presumably, was to keep Derek from "getting over" her.

Then, Casey started dating Noel. Or, at least that's how it looked. Lizzie had told him, in confidence, that Casey and Noel were just friends, but it was clear that Derek didn't know this. Edwin felt sorry for him and intended to tell him, until he realized this was exactly what Casey wanted. She wanted Derek to think she was dating Noel to make him jealous. Partly because he wanted Casey to succeed, and partly because he wasn't one to mess with affairs of the heart, Edwin kept his silence.

Until now. For the first time since Casey had come back from England, Edwin found he was completely unable to decipher the reason for Casey and Derek's actions as of late. Casey had barricaded herself in her room the night before, refusing to talk to anyone, especially Derek. Obviously Derek had done something, Edwin thought. But then Derek had tried to force her out, and had slept in front of Casey's door. Obviously, Derek was unaware of what he had done.

Edwin, Lizzie, and Marti had all expected some sort of explosion between them the next morning, but they were wrong. Casey seemed to have simmered her boiling anger. Derek, on the other hand, had raged around his room while she went to her interview and broken one of the supports on his bed.

Edwin knew Lizzie knew something, but she wasn't talking. He wished she would, he needed her help. But if she intended to keep mum, that was her decision. He could figure this out on his own.

"Hey, Nora?" She was making dinner. "Can I help?" She looked surprised, but pleased.

"Sure Edwin," she replied. When it was halfway finished, Nora said, "I wonder if we have anything for dessert."

Edwin peered into the freezer. "Well, that's weird," he mused. "Yesterday there was a carton of ice cream in here." He glanced at Nora, who looked sheepish. _Odd_, he thought. "Did you eat it?"

"Casey and I did," she admitted. "She was so upset last night, and I found her in here at four this morning." Edwin made mental note.

"Did she say why she locked herself in her room yesterday?" He asked casually. Nora shook her head.

"You know, I don't think so. I mean, we talked about a lot of different things, but I don't think she would have been that upset about any of them."

Edwin had to know what Casey and Nora had talked about. "Really? Like what?" Nora shook her head.

"Nice try, but I'm pretty sure Casey tells me things in confidence, not so that I'll tell you for her." He raised an eyebrow.

"But how do you know that?" He asked. "I mean, maybe she really wants me to know but feels weird coming to me. So you're her middle man." Nora laughed.

"You're getting really good at that," she said. "Maybe you should be a lawyer, too." Edwin stuck out his lower lip a bit.

"Come on, Nora," he begged. "I swear, I'm not going to tell anyone anything. I'm just really worried about Casey. She hasn't been the same since she came home."

He knew he had hit the jackpot. "Edwin, that's really sweet," Nora said, sniffling a little. "All right, I'll tell you, but you cannot say a single word to anyone else." Edwin nodded vigorously.

"I swear I will not repeat it to anyone," he promised. _Unless I can use it to help get Casey and Derek together_.

"Casey told me that she had a boyfriend in England, and that he proposed."

Edwin's jaw dropped. He hadn't expected that. "What did she say?" Nora frowned.

"She says she didn't answer him then, but that's she decided to turn him down. I think she's in love with someone else. She tried to pretend she had other reasons, but I know my daughter. The thing is, I can't figure out who it would be. She was gone for so long, and even though she's been seeing that Noel boy, I just don't think she could be in love with him." Edwin did his best to hide his grin.

"No, I don't think she's in love with Noel," he agreed.

Nora must have caught something in his tone, because she narrowed her eyes at him. "Edwin, do you know something I don't?" Edwin shook his head quickly.

"Of course not. Umm, I'm going to go tell Lizzie and Marti that dinner is ready." He rushed off before she could protest.


	16. Chapter 16

**A/N: **I should post two chapters, since it's been so long, but I can't.  But I want to take a second to thank everyone for the reviews. All of you rock.

Picking Up

**Chapter Sixteen**

"So, what are we watching?" Casey asked. Noel held up a DVD case.

"I'm not really sure, but it's some foreign movie about an old poet, so I thought you would like it." She shook her head, managing a real smile.

"It sounds riveting," she told him.

"And I made popcorn." He passed her the bowl.

"Ooh," she said as she took a bite. "Extra butter and salt, just the way I like it." Noel grinned.

"Are you ready for this?" He asked. "Because I've heard this movie gets pretty intense. Something about a drive-by poetry battle?" Casey laughed.

"I'll cover my eyes if it gets too scary."

---

"Games closet, now," Edwin whispered to Lizzie as they left the table after dinner. She looked surprised, and he couldn't blame her. They hadn't consulted each other in the games closet in a couple of years. With Derek and Casey gone, it had become unnecessary.

Lizzie pulled the string on the light as Edwin shut the door tightly behind him. "What's going on?" She asked.

"Lizzie, I know you don't want to tell me, but I need to know why Casey was so upset last night." Lizzie shook her head.

"Edwin, I can't. I'm not even supposed to know, I can't tell you." Edwin crossed his arms.

"Look, Derek and Casey are miserable, and they're making everyone else miserable. Normally, I don't interfere in this sort of thing, but I can't stay out of it anymore." Lizzie groaned.

"Edwin, we promised each other we would stand back and let them work things out!" She reminded him.

"I know," he said, "I know. But I can't. They've hit a roadblock, Liz, and someone has to clear it for them. Trust me when I say they will not get over this one by themselves."

"What are you talking about?" Lizzie demanded.

"All I can say is that Derek knows something about Casey, or at least, I think he only knows part of the story." Edwin had thought about it all through dinner. There was only one explanation. Derek had woken in front of Casey's door and realized she was gone. He had gone looking for her and overheard her conversation with Nora, or at least part of it. He had heard the part about the proposal and left before Casey had continued. "Because he doesn't know the whole story, he's upset. And someone has to tell him the whole story."

"I suppose that's where you come in?" She asked. Edwin nodded.

"And you," he replied. "I'm pretty sure whatever Casey was angry about last night, she had almost gotten over it this morning. But then she realized Derek was mad at her again, and decided that she would be mad right back."

"So what am I supposed to do?" Lizzie asked.

"You have to convince Casey that she was right not to be mad. If we can get them to stop being mad for five minutes, maybe they'll finally work things out."

"I hope you're right," Lizzie said.

---

"Casey, wake up." Noel was shaking her. "We fell asleep. Wake up." Coming to, Casey realized she had fallen asleep with her head on Noel's shoulder.

Sitting up, she said, "What time is it?"

"Almost one," he replied.

"A.M.? As in, one o'clock in the morning?" He nodded.

"Yeah. That movie was really boring. Why did you pick it?" He asked playfully.

She smacked him gently on the arm. "I should get going," she said apologetically. Whatever she had said to Derek, she hadn't _actually_ intended to stay out all night.

Noel nodded. "I'll walk you to your car." They walked outside and Noel hugged her. "Be careful going home. I'll see you later." She nodded, climbed into the car, and drove off.

By the time Casey got home, it was nearly two in the morning. She gazed up at the old familiar house that she loved so much, thinking that she really ought to get a place of her own. But being here felt so comfortable. And being anywhere else meant not being near Derek. As much as being near him tortured her, being away from him was worse. Way worse.

She quietly opened the front door and shut it behind her, locking it. She was tiptoeing through the living room, trying hard not to make any noise, when a light flipped on.

"Where the _hell_ have you been?" Derek was seated in his chair, his face worried and angry. Casey recovered quickly from the shock and crossed her arms.

"None of your business, Derek. I told you, don't wait up."

"Well, I did."

"Well, that was stupid," she shot back as quietly as possible. "Why aren't you with _Lindsey_?"

"We're not talking about me or Lindsey," he replied. "We're talking about you and why you feel the need to stay out until dawn."

Casey laughed hollowly. "It's barely after midnight, and I can stay out however long I want. I'm twenty-one, not sixteen. And even if I _was_ sixteen, it wouldn't be any of _your_ business where I went or what time I came home."

"I'm making it my business," Derek insisted. "You can't be out this late."

"You can't tell me what to do!" She shouted, forgetting to keep her voice down. "Why do you care anyway?"

"Because… because I'm supposed to be the one who stays out all night. You're supposed to be the one in bed by nine reading a book." Casey shook her head.

"It figures. Deflect attention from the real issue by making up some inane bit of logic."

"What is that supposed to mean?" He demanded.

"You know what it means, Derek, so quit acting stupid. I know that's hard for you but just try for a few minutes." It was a low blow and they both knew it, but Casey had had enough; enough of the games, and the sarcasm, and the dancing around the issue at hand.

"Oh, of course, everything's my fault again. You're the one who screwed up, but sure, blame it on me." Casey felt like she might cry again.

"I have been trying to _fix_ things! I'm sorry your pride took a beating, Derek, but forgive me if I'm not that sympathetic."

"My pride?" He shouted, incredulous.

"That's what everything is about, isn't it? I mean, why else would you be so upset that I was out so late?"

"I-" Casey waited, tapping her foot impatiently, and finally he burst out, "because you're not supposed to stay out this late with a guy who's just your friend!" Casey stared at him.

"Noel? We were just watching a movie, Derek. What, are you jealous?" She couldn't help but feel a little triumph at this victory. Derek glared at her.

"That's what you want, isn't it? You didn't hurt me enough when you left the country, now you have to try and rub it in my face with him?" He turned and marched up the stairs, and Casey felt a jolt of anxiety. If she let him go, sure, she had the upper hand, but then they would fall back into the same routine. Dimly, she recognized that this was it; this was the moment to tell him. Now, or never.

"Derek, stop," she said pleadingly, hurrying after him.

"Why should I?"

"Because I love you." The words tumbled out of her mouth in a rush.

He turned around so quickly he nearly knocked her down the stairs. "You – what?"

She took his hands in hers. "I love you, Derek. I've loved you since we were fifteen. I loved you two years ago and I still love you now."

"Then why did you run away?" He sounded hurt and terrified, like an abandoned child, and Casey smiled sadly.

"Because I was scared," she said. "When Lizzie freaked out on me, I got it in my head that my feelings for you were wrong, that everyone I knew would hate me if they found out. And I couldn't stand to be so close to you, knowing that you loved me too. It was too painful."

"What made you come back?" He asked. Casey hesitated. She had yet to tell him about Josh, and she wasn't sure she wanted to ruin this moment.

"I got a taste of what life without you was really like," she replied simply. "And as hard as it was being near you, being away from you was ten times worse." His hand came to brush her hair out of her face, and she closed her eyes. "I'm sorry, Derek. For everything," she whispered. "I'm sorry for trying to make you jealous. I only wanted to show you what you were missing. It was stupid, I know. I'm really sorry."

"Stop apologizing." And he kissed her. For a moment, she felt like the world had been righted again.

"Derek?!"

"Casey?!" George and Nora's voices broke through their moment, their little cloud of happiness. They turned slowly on the spot and stared at their parents.


	17. Chapter 17

**A/N: **Ack! I'm sorry it's been so long, I've been packing and trying to keep up with my classes for the last few weeks. :( But yesterday we moved into our NEW HOUSE (can you tell I'm super excited about it?) so things are starting to slow down finally! Anyway, here is chapter 17. Enjoy! And once again, merci beaucoup for all of the awesome reviews!

Picking Up

**Chapter Seventeen**

"Mom, I can explain," Casey said quickly.

"Explain?" Nora's repeated in a weak voice. She turned to George. "Did you just see what I just saw?" She asked him. "Because I'm really hoping we're just sleep walking."

George shook his head, staring hard at Derek. "Unfortunately, Nora, I'm pretty sure we're wide awake. Derek, of all the things you've done, this is-"

"By far the best," Edwin said as he came down the stairs, stopping behind the other two, one step above them.

"Edwin?" George squeaked.

"I stand by that, dad," he added, placing one hand on Derek's shoulder and the other on Casey's.

"So do I." Lizzie came down and stood next to Casey and put an arm around her waist. Casey smiled at her and, feeling braver, laced her fingers through Derek's.

"So do I," she echoed.

Their support seemed to be what Derek needed. "I love Casey," he said to George, looking defiant. "I love her the way you love Nora, and that's not going to change, no matter what you guys say."

Casey looked at her mom. "Do you remember last night, when I asked you why you loved George? And you said that he completed you in a way that no one else could. Well, that's how I feel about Derek. That's how I've _always_ felt about Derek. I was just too afraid to admit it. But I'm not now. I love Derek and I don't care who knows!" Derek nudged her, and she felt silent, her cheeks warm.

"You said that about me?" George asked Nora, looking awestruck. Nora shrugged, turning pink.

"Well… it's true," she replied. They stared at each other for several seconds.

"Ahem." Edwin had cleared his throat. Nora and George looked up, embarrassed.

"Well, if you feel that strongly," Nora said quietly, "then I suppose we don't really have a say, do we?" Casey felt Derek gripping her hand very tightly. Nora smiled uncertainly. "It will take some getting used to, but if it makes you this happy, well, then I'm happy for you." Casey smiled at her, blinking back tears.

Everyone turned to George. He glanced from Derek and Casey to Nora and back again. Finally, he said weakly, "Does this mean you two won't be fighting anymore?"

Casey looked at Derek, and they burst out laughing.

Eventually, everyone except Derek and Casey went to bed. They stayed up and talked for several hours.

"I'm sorry about earlier," Derek said. They were sitting on the couch; Casey was curled up against Derek, her head on his chest. He had one arm around her, resting his chin on her head. "When I said it didn't mean anything. It meant everything."

"I know," Casey replied softly. "It meant everything to me, too." She craned her neck to look up at him. "Why did you say those things?" She asked.

Derek shook his head. "Because I'm an idiot. You were going to meet Noel and I thought he had proposed to you. I was jealous."

Casey stared at him. "Why would you think that?" She asked.

"I heard you talking to Nora yesterday morning, in the kitchen. I heard you say someone proposed. I thought you meant Noel."

"I didn't," Casey said quickly. "Noel and I are-"

"Just friends," Derek finished. "I know. At least, I know that now." He shook his head and pulled her closer, kissing the top of her head.

So, you know about Josh, then?" Casey asked tentatively. Derek nodded. "I never loved him, Derek. I was just trying to get over you. As you can see, it didn't work very well."

"I know," Derek said. "It's the same reason I started dating Lindsey. Sure, I started to care about her, but I never felt about her the way I do about you. And when you came back, it became clearer than ever."

"So, you broke up with her?" Casey asked hesitantly. Derek looked away, embarrassed.

"Actually, she broke up with me," he admitted. "After you left, she sat me down and said that she loved me, but that she knew I didn't love her. She said that I needed to be with you, and that she didn't want to stand in the way of that. And then she left."

"I'm sorry," Casey said quietly. "I never wanted her to get hurt either."

Derek squeezed her hand. "I don't blame you. I blame myself. I shouldn't have strung her along. I knew better."

"Not if you thought I didn't love you," Casey defended him against himself. "You knew Lindsey loved you. It was safe. I've been there, I know."

"Still, I didn't love her as much as she loved me, and I knew it. It was selfish of me to do that to her." He sighed. "Once Edwin told me the truth, and I realized why you were really staying here, I knew what I had to do."

"What do you mean?" Casey felt confused. "What does Edwin have to do with it?"

"Edwin is too smart for his own good. He figured it all out, including why I was so mad yesterday. He came and told me I had it all wrong. He also said that you were staying here because you were in love with someone, and he knew it wasn't Noel. Then I realized you were staying for me."

"I was," she admitted. "I figured it was pointless, because you didn't seem to be changing your mind about Lindsey, but I couldn't be away from you again." He leaned down and kissed her.

"Well, you won't be. Ever."

Casey and Derek stayed up talking all night. George and Nora came into the living room around six o'clock to find them fast asleep on the couch.

"They're actually kind of cute, when you look at them," Nora said quietly.

"Yeah, in a way," George agreed. "Still, who's going to tell Marti?"

"I have a feeling she might suspect something. Marti is smarter than we give her credit for. But I think we should let Casey and Derek tell her. It will be easiest to absorb coming from them." George nodded.

"I think you're right," he replied.

---

"You want us to what?" Derek said that evening before dinner. Casey took his hand gently.

"No, it's okay. I think they're right Derek. It needs to come from us." Derek shook his head.

"This isn't going to be easy," he warned her. She nodded.

"I know."

They walked slowly up the stairs to Marti's room. Casey let go of Derek's hand and knocked lightly on the door.

"Come in!" They pushed the door open. Marti was sitting at her desk, writing something long.

"Hey, Marti," Casey said. "Can we talk to you for a minute?" She nodded and turned her chair around. Casey and Derek sat on the bed, trying to keep a reasonable distance between them.

"What are you writing?" Casey asked, trying to break the ice first.

"A list," Marti replied.

"What kind of list?" Derek asked. Marti shrugged.

"A list of the pros and cons of different careers. I'm going to be starting high school in a year so I thought I should get a head start." Derek looked at Casey.

"Oh great, you've turned her into a miniature you," he joked. Casey grinned at Marti.

"There's nothing like being prepared for the future, kiddo." She smirked at Derek. "You're smart not to want to end up like your big brother." She nudged him in the ribs and Derek gave her a mock glare.

"Are you two done staring at each other?" Marti asked. "Because I'm pretty sure you didn't come up here to talk to me about my list." They exchanged glances and Derek cleared his throat.

"Smarti," he began, "you know we love you, right?" Marti nodded.

"Duh," she replied. "I love you, too, Smerek." She was smiling, but there was a mischievous glint in her eye.

"Right," Derek said, looking uncomfortable. "I just wanted to make that clear." Casey shook her head.

"What Derek is trying to say, Marti, is that we have something important that we need to tell you, and you may not like it, but we want you to know that no matter what we love you." Marti stood up suddenly.

"You're not leaving again, are you?" She asked Casey frantically. Casey shook her head.

"No, Marti. I'm not going anywhere." Marti came over and sat between them. Casey put her arm around Marti's shoulders. "See, Marti…" Casey trailed off. Derek picked up there.

"Smarti, I love Casey," he said. Marti nodded.

"I know."

"You do?" They said together.

"Well, yeah," she replied. "So do I." Casey sighed.

"That's not what I meant," Derek told her. "You love Casey in a different way. You love Casey as your sister."

"She is my sister." Derek nodded.

"Yes. But I love Casey the way dad loves Nora." Marti looked confused.

"You mean, like you're _in_ love with her?" She asked. Casey hadn't realized Marti knew the difference.

"Yeah, that's exactly what I mean," Derek replied, looking even more nervous than ever. They waited, watching Marti closely. She looked very thoughtful.

"So, are you going to get married?" She asked finally, and Casey nearly fell off the bed in shock.

"I- you mean you're not upset?" She asked.

"Well, duh," Marti said. Derek looked stunned. Marti looked exasperated at their reactions. "Didn't you read my poem, Casey?"

"I-" Casey thought back. "I don't remember it." Sighing, Marti stood and pulled a piece of paper from her notebook. She handed it to Casey, who read the words again, Derek leaning over her shoulder.

Ribbons of gold woven through silken locks  
catch his eye, turning pebbles of love  
into giant rocks.  
His fingers grasp it, give it a tug.  
She turns and shouts, but she can't deny  
the pink of her skin,  
the twinkle in his eye,  
the smile within.

By: Marti Venturi

Derek and Casey looked at each other and then at Marti. "Marti, this is – this is a really good poem," Derek said.

"I know," Marti replied, but she beamed at him.

"So this is about us?" Casey asked. Marti smiled.

"Duh," she said again. "Well, you and my friend Alisa and her new boyfriend Kenny. Kenny used to always make fun of Alisa and she would get really mad and yell at him. And she would always drop stuff and get really nervous whenever he came by. But now they're going out."

"So we act like thirteen year olds," Casey said to Derek. "That's good to know."

"So, are you guys going to get married or not?" Marti repeated. "Because I really want to be a bridesmaid."


	18. Epilogue

**A/N: **I've been putting off posting this because I'm really sad that this is the end. I have REALLY enjoyed writing this story and Pieces. When writing Pieces, I had always planned to end it that way and then write a sequel, so there wasn't that feeling of bereavement. This series has been my "baby" for nearly a year now. :(

In a way, though, this epilogue is my favorite part of the whole story. I hope you've all enjoyed reading this as much as I have writing it. And this will certainly not be my last Dasey fic, I'm actually already working on one right now, but I probably won't have it up for a few more weeks at least.

Anyway, thank you so much for the support and compliments!

[/walloftext]

Picking Up

**Epilogue**

Casey folded the last of her shirts into a box with a satisfied smile on her face. She couldn't help but feel a little nostalgic about leaving home, even though she could hardly contain her happiness at moving in with Derek.

"You almost packed?" Nora asked, coming through the door. Casey nodded.

"I'm sorry if this is weird for you, mom," Casey said, sitting on her bed. Nora sat next to her, putting an arm around her shoulders.

"Sweetie, the only thing bothering me is that you didn't feel you could come to me about it. You know that you can always talk to me, Casey, no matter what it is. I will always support you, unless you're doing something harmful of course."

"I know, mom," Casey replied. "And I know I should have talked to you about this sooner, but honestly I wasn't even sure of everything myself. I left for England because I was confused about my feelings and scared of what might happen. I didn't even understand it myself, so I couldn't talk to anyone about it."

Nora nodded. "It's not just that, though. Why didn't you tell me about Mr. Krueger? Why didn't you tell someone before things got out of hand?" Casey shrugged.

"I guess I wanted to prove that I could handle it. I'm supposed to be an adult now. I can't rely on you and George for every little thing now."

"Casey," her mother said gently. "You can always rely on me. When you're fifty and I'm… well, old, you can still rely on me for _anything_."

"Thanks, mom." Casey put her head on Nora's shoulder. "George didn't tell anyone else about Dave, did he?" Nora shook her head.

"I don't think so. He just told me last night." Casey smiled.

"Good. Lizzie knows, but I don't want Edwin or especially Derek to find out." She paused. "Where is Derek, anyway? We're supposed to be moving my stuff today."

Nora shrugged. "He went out the door about twenty minutes ago. He said he had something to take care of."

---

"Excuse me, can I help you?" The brunette receptionist had a sharp nose and beady eyes. Derek grimaced at her.

"Uh, no thank you. I'm good." He walked past her toward an open door. Slipping into the next room, he ignored the bubbly blonde secretary.

"You can't go in there!" She called after him, but he straight-armed the wooden door without a backward glance and slammed it behind him. The man behind the desk glanced up.

"I'm sorry, do you have an appointment?" He asked, his voice icy. Derek smirked.

"I don't need an appointment."

The man raised one eyebrow. "And you are?"

"Derek." The man's pupils widened in recognition and then contracted again in fear as Derek's fist connected with his face.


End file.
